Broken Lights on the Freeway
by Chibi-Kari
Summary: "This is more important, Char! There are rules and she is proof someone is going around breaking them! We should have just killed her." "I think there is a better question, Peter. How she's still alive." Will be Bella/Jasper. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Chibi-Kari: Hey all...here is Chapter 1 of my new story. I will be updating Let Go if not this week next week after my finals! I just wanted to get this out in celebration of Bobby Bowden's retirement! Anyway, I don't own and for this story AN will be kept short to keep with the flow. It will eventually be Bella/Jasper. Just wait for it!**

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**Broken Lights on the Freeway**

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The night air was dry and harsh, normal for summer in the Mojave Desert. The sky an inky black marred was scarred with specks of light. It was almost three am and two vampires were running to their current residence north of Mount Charleston, just off US95. They had once again run down to Las Vegas for their meal.

Disappearing in Vegas was natural. People don't keep track of time in Vegas not to mention casinos don't keep clocks on the walls. It's one drink to the next and casinos galore. Confused patrons in the streets were easy pickings to lead astray. It was the second best place for vampires to pick and choose victims. The best would be the border between the US and Mexico, their blood was only marginally cleaner there and they were illegal anyway. It wasn't like any of those people would have a missing report sent out on them. It wouldn't have taken much longer to run down to the border maybe thirty minutes depending on what was going on around them. No vampire wanted to be spotted by border patrol or a passing car. That was the best way to get the Volturi on their asses. Although the food would have been better and just as easy, they didn't want to go too far tonight. So, Vegas was the only real answer.

"What are you thinking about?" Her musical voice cut through the still night air as they started to turn towards US95 just west of Las Vegas. It was their chosen track, although a little longer than running straight through the desert. She just didn't like the idea of scorpions, even though they could no longer hurt her. The idea that they can kill even though they are that small creeped her out, but if you asked someone that knew her they could describe her the same way. Small. Deadly. She was around five foot and at first glance looked as fragile as they came. Being scared of dangerous wildlife suited her. She had always vocally refused to go that way and he wouldn't fight her on that one.

"I dunno know, Char. I feel like something important is gunna happen." His muscles flexed as he picked up his pace. "I'll be glad to be home in about twenty minutes. I swear to God I'm not leavin' the house for three days. Whatever the fuck this is, I'm not gunna to be involved."

She nodded her head, her white blonde hair bouncing with each stride, "I feel it too, Peter." Even if she hadn't felt it she would have listened. Her husband always had a way about him. He just knew when things were going to work or not. She always thought that it was his venom flowing through her that allowed her to feel it sometimes too. Tonight she felt it. It chilled through her already frozen skin to the bones. They ran for a few more minutes with only silence as their company. The heavy feeling had been affecting them both for days. She would be happy to just sit at home and weather whatever storm was going to come with her husband by her side. All she wanted was peace. She had lived through one too many storms in her afterlife. "The state really needs to send someone out to fix these lights. Some poor human is gunna run right off the road into the desert and get themselves killed."

Peter nodded slightly before slowing, "Do you see that?" He gestured, his arm slicing effortlessly through the air in a move dancers would be jealous of.

Even with the enhanced vampire sight Charlotte still needed to squint to see what Peter was talking about. It was several miles ahead and slightly to their left on the main road. "Do you think it's an accident? That's a person in the middle of the road, right?"

They came to a stop about one hundred feet from the still body. It was just far enough that in the dark night, the human wouldn't be able to see them, if they were still alive that is.

"She's alive, Peter. She's just layin' there." Charlotte took a step forward before Peter placed his hand on her arm, stopping her.

"There isn't any blood. The car doesn't appear to be damaged. Obviously she's okay. Let's just keep goin'." He pulled on her arm slightly before she shook her head.

"When is a person layin' in the middle of the road at three am okay?" She wrenched her arm from his grasp as she stepped closer. Arguing with Peter was never something she chose to do, but she was compelled today. This was it and it wasn't anything she had expected. "Hello, are you okay?"

Charlotte stopped about fifty feet from the fallen girl. A heavy silence engulfed the area as she waited for a response. Not getting one, Charlotte walked closer. Peter joined her as they closed the last of the distance. Her mahogany hair pooled around her shoulders as her brown eyes stayed focused on the depth of the sky above. She didn't even flinch as they walked closer to her.

Peter looked over at his small wife before glancing down at the young girl on the ground, she wasn't more than 19, "Sweetie, you alright?"

Brown eyes snapped to Charlotte and then moved over to Peter, focusing on their eyes, "Will you kill me?"

Charlotte's eyes widened as she looked between her husband and the girl, "'Course not! Why would you say those things? We're just passin' by and saw you out here."

Peter nodded slightly, "Not safe for a pretty young girl like you to be out this late. 'Specially not in these parts. Desert's dangerous at night. Never know what kinda creatures are roamin' about."

The young girl sat up, glancing over her shoulder at the couple before standing and walking towards her orange truck, "Truck broke down on my way to Arizona."

Charlotte started to walk towards the girl, "Don't you have a cell phone? If you don't, I do. We can call you a tow truck. Mount Charleston isn't that far. You'd be there in a flash. Too dangerous out here with the rattlers, you don't wanna go walkin' down the road or layin' in the middle of it."

The girl placed her hand on the side window of her offensively orange truck, sliding her palm down it almost affectionately, "I don't have to worry about snakes or anything. You're the most dangerous thing out here."

Peter stepped forward, once again joining his wife's side. He placed his arm around her waist as he looked on, "We already told you we mean no harm. We can call the truck to come get you and then leave if it makes you feel safer." He looked down at Charlotte as she beamed up at him. She loved to help people when she got a chance. It was a quirk he let her have. It made her feel more human for a few moments and tonight there was no harm being this close. They had both just hunted and the human shouldn't think twice about their eyes because of the dark. And every bone in his body was telling him to help her. Just to stop and help this girl. Peter didn't normally go against his intuition.

The movement was quick and Peter wasn't sure he would have been able to stop it. The girl spun around, holding her bleeding arm out towards them. Bits of the broken glass still embedded in her flesh. The blood started dropping on to the ground like rain sprinkling before she started to speak, "Will you kill me now? Can you control it?"

Charlotte took a step forward and placed a hand on Peter's shoulder. His bloodlust was always harder to control than hers had ever been, "We can stop the bleedin' sweetie. Then we'll get you to a hospital."

Her brown eyes widened and she started shaking her arm around causing the blood to create a violent pattern on the dry road. It had been several days since it last rained and the pavement soaked up the blood almost immediately like water from above. She staggered a few steps toward them, "I know what you are! Why won't you kill me? Don't you want my blood?! You're a vampire! Kill me!"

Charlotte stopped and looked back at Peter who gaped wide-eyed. The girl flung her arm a few more times before grabbing her head and folding into herself, squatting near the ground. She let out a heart wrenching scream before falling silent. The only signs of her life were the quiet shakes that took over her body and the sound of her blood falling on the pavement.

Charlotte let out a sob before starting towards the girl.

"Char, don't."

She quickly threw her arms around the young girl, pulling her close to her small form. "You're alright. We aren't going to hurt you. Everything's alright right now. No matter what, it's alright right now." She leaned back, ripping a piece of her shirt and setting to work on a bandage for the bleeding arm in front of her.

Charlotte held her for a few minutes before turning towards Peter, "She's asleep."

He looked around blindly before focusing on his wife, "Should we leave her here?" He had wanted to help her. He was compelled to help her, but his brain took over. This was dangerous and bordering on absurd. The girl was obviously unstable.

Her red eyes narrowed at his, "What do you mean leave her here? We can't leave her here! She's not stable. She knows about us. And her damn truck broke down! What part of this situation screams 'leave her here' to you?!"

Peter threw up his hands momentarily and gestured to his wife, "What do you suggest? Bringin' her home with us?"

She stayed silent a moment before answering with a quick nod, "That's a great idea."

Peter opened his mouth a few times, his dirty blonde hair blowing in the wind, "Hello, remember me? Your husband with not so great control! Let's bring a bleedin' suicidal human into our home. Oh, she'll last all of two days!"

"She was bleedin' right in front of you, Peter. And you did just fine. She knows about us. You wanna bring the wrath of the Volturi down on your ass that's fine and dandy, but me no thank you."

His left hand came up to his face as he rubbed his forehead before pulling it down over his eyes, "You're right, Char."

"Aren't I always? You get her bags or whatnots. I'll take the girl." She turned and started home with the small brunette in her arms before he could even turn to the truck.

"What's gunna happen when someone sees her truck? Didn't think about that did you?" Peter mumbled to himself as he made his way to the truck pulling a single case from the bed. "Keepin' your stuff out in the bed is about as smart as layin' in the middle of the road, sweetheart."

"Vampire hearing, Peter." Charlotte's voice whispered in the wind about three miles from him.

"Sorry dear." He took off behind her towards their ranch style house in the desert.

By the time Peter had made it through the door, Charlotte was sitting on a kitchen chair facing the young girl who was now standing still in the center of the room. Peter dropped her bag by the kitchen door and made his way around the floating counter to his wife.

They all stared at each other for several minutes before Charlotte broke the silence, "What's your name?"

The girl rolled her shoulders in a half shrug. Peter couldn't be sure if she was stretching or failing at a nonchalant gesture, "Bella."

"Bella what? Do you need to call someone to tell them where you are?" Charlotte looked on the poor girl in front of them and Peter had to admit her small human form was something to take pity on. Her clothes were slightly torn and dirty, probably from laying in the road and it looked like she hadn't been eating properly for months. Her hair hung in stringy clumps over her face. It was obvious the girl hadn't been taking care of herself.

"Bella Swan. And there's no one to call." Her voice was monotone and she had stopped trying to make eye contact with the two vampires in front of her.

Charlotte's eyes started to glisten, "What do you-"

Peter cut her off, "How about you stop this little fucking blasé act you got going on and tell me how you know about us."

"Peter! Why are you talking to her like this?" Charlotte's eyes had narrowed as her red eyes bore into her unflinching husband.

"This is more important, Char! No one should be walking around knowing these things! There are rules and she is proof someone is going around breaking them! We should have just killed her. Bringing the Volturi on us like this!" He almost roared at his wife as she glanced back at the young girl in front of her. He slung his head back towards Bella before roaring at her also, "Answer me, girl, how do you know about us?"

"I think there is a better question, Peter." Charlotte's gaze stayed fixed on the young girl in front of her.

He sighed looking over at his wife, "What could that possibly be?"

"How she's still alive." He arched an eyebrow, not quite following her train of thought. Peter's eyes followed her finger as she lifted her petite hand and pointed at the crescent scar contrasting sharply with Bella's ivory skin.

"Fuck." It was probably the least intelligent thing he could have said, but it was the only thing fitting.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chibi-Kari: I don't own. Just a little background I thought I should give. Peter does have bad control. It's stated in the 5th unpublished book. Second, Bella is 19 and this is set in a world where New Moon didn't go quite as planned. I'll get into that later! Enjoy. PS the reviews were amazing. I don't think I've ever had such a wonderful response to something I've written.**

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**Chapter 2**

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Bella's brown eyes widened slightly as she followed their gazes down her arm to the scar that James had given her. The one thing Edward couldn't take away when he left her standing there over a year ago. Her one reminder that he and his family existed. That they irrevocably changed her life. So much changed in a year, but that simple fact would always remain.

She felt so exposed in front of these two and tried, in vain, to pull her dirty three quarter length shirt farther down her arm and cover her reminder. She flinched slightly as the grip on her shirt sent a shock of pain up her injured arm. It was a stupid idea in hindsight, but isn't that what's great about hindsight? You don't realize how stupid your idea was until after it fails. Thrusting arm through window to try and tempt two vampires to kill you. Stupid idea.

The small blonde vampire moved towards her slowly, the other vampire had called her Char. Bella vaguely noted that this vampire was almost as small as Alice, yet seemed more inviting motherly even. She wasn't the charismatic tornado type. Instead, this beautiful creature was calm and comforting. Calm and comforting was the last thing Bella wanted right now.

"Stay away from me." Her voice shook slightly and she knew her say didn't count for much given the situation. These two could be on her within a second. She was the weaker species in this situation.

Peter let a slightly unnerving laugh boom through the kitchen. Charlotte swiveled around quickly glaring harshly at her husband. "You were just askin us to kill you not moments ago, sugar. Now you're askin us to stay away. We're the big bad monsters hun, you don't have any say in if we kill you or not. We will fucking stand in front of you if we so please and you can't do a thing about it. You hear?" He shook his head slightly before settling his sight back on her scar that she had tried to cover with her hand after her shirt failed. "You need to start answerin' us, sweetie."

Charlotte glared at her husband until he flinched away. She spun back towards Bella and moved closer, "I know what that is. You know we know what that is. How did you get it?"

Bella bit her bottom lip slightly as she glanced around the room, looking for something to help her get away. She almost laughed as the idle thought flickered through her mind, nothing could save her from vampires. The male was right, they could do whatever they wanted and she had no say in the matter except talking. They couldn't make her talk. Maybe if they got mad enough they would just kill her. She just wouldn't talk. She shook her head, no. She knew the rules, remembered the one time Edward told her their number one rule was to not expose themselves to humans. The Cullens had done that, they practically signed their own death warrant, just like they had signed hers and left her defenseless.

"I'm not asking who, honey. I'm asking how you're still human." She looked back at Peter panicking slightly.

He grimaced slightly before stepping forward. She was obviously trying to protect someone. "Hun, you've put us in the same situation that whoever it is is in. I don't want to know more than I have to."

Her eyes widened slightly. Bella hadn't stopped to think how she was condemning them by trying to protect the Cullens. She couldn't sit here and condemn these too that hadn't been anything but helpful, or trying to be in their way. It was just that the memory of the Cullens was all she had left at the moment, "Then kill me." It seemed like the only logical answer to her.

Peter narrowed his eyes, "No. Are you having a hard time understanding this word? No means no."

Bella hated to be patronized. She stepped forward two steps, narrowing her eyes, "What do you think happened? I got bit."

Peter threw his hands up in the air in a moment of frustrations, "We know that much! How the hell are you still human? That's all we want to know damn it! That scar shows us that you got involved with vampires and got bit. I can figure that much out myself. Anyone could!"

She closed her eyes for a minute. Would it really be so bad to tell them this? As long as she left names out she wouldn't implicate the Cullens or pull these two further in than they already were. "He sucked it out."

"Sucked what out, honey?" Charlotte's voice was smooth and easy, cutting through the silence. She knew the answer to this question. There was only one answer, but she hadn't heard of it. It was an impossible idea.

"The venom." The words hung in the air for seconds as Bella shifted to the counter. She was caught and there wasn't anything she could do about it right now. She would just wait for them to change their mind and kill her. It was the only option anymore. She had to die. Just like the male vampire, Peter the female had called him, had told her, someone was breaking the rules. If she was gone no one could be implicated. These two vampires could go free as the Cullens. She wouldn't hurt anyone anymore.

Charlotte turned her back on Bella to look at her husband blankly, "How?" He shrugged lightly to her. Neither of them could understand the idea of a vampire having the ability to stop sucking the blood from a human after they started. It didn't make sense and whoever had done this was dangerous.

They shared a look. This girl was too far in to be able to walk away, but neither was willing to kill her. It wasn't in their nature to kill someone that didn't deserve it. Or at least it wasn't in their nature anymore. What happened to this girl was obviously torture already; she didn't deserve another moment of this. The only option was her keeping her feet inside the house for the rest of her life, however long that be. That wasn't a decision to be made this moment, but neither was going to let her leave.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chibi-Kari: I still don't own. I give you Chapter 3. Thanks so much for the amazing response that I've gotten so far!**

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**Chapter 3**

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Two weeks had crawled by and Peter was starting to get nervous. The girl they had found laying on the freeway had been as good as dead. He had brought out a spark of her fire that first night. He had seen a shade of what she was and what she could be again. He could feel it. This girl was something amazing and both he and Charlotte could see it. But that spark that had come out was just as quickly snuffed out.

She was resigned. Resigned to die. He saw it in her eyes three days after she was brought into their home. Peter could remember it even if he didn't have the superior memory of a vampire.

He and Charlotte had just come from a quick hunt. There was some sort of "gathering" in the desert of misfits. They were trying to bring the 70s back. Peter couldn't bring himself to understand why they would want to bring a time of political and social unrest back. He had lived through it. It wasn't anything he'd like to repeat…but neither was the 80s with their bad hair and horrid pants of every color. Spandex was never a good idea unless it was on a woman who was working out and even then it could be a very bad idea. At least that was his thought process.

They had come back from that very unsatisfying meal full of tainted blood to find Bella standing in the middle of the kitchen. They had quickly gotten used to finding her standing in the middle of a room. It almost seemed to be her way of reminding herself she was isolated and alone. Or at least that was what Charlotte had said to him one night. It was the way she glanced around periodically, as if making sure the room was empty. To tell the truth it disturbed him. She wanted to be alone. She wanted to die. He could see that. Charlotte could see that. He was pretty sure if he brought a blind man into his house that even he could see that.

This time it was different, though. She wasn't just standing in the middle of the room; it was what she was looking at. Her focus was trained on Charlotte's cutlery set. He remembered the hunger in her eyes as she looked at it. He just thanked whatever deity was out there that they got back in time. He had no doubt that if they were tem minutes later that they would have come back to a dead human.

He had worked himself into a frenzy when he saw her. He remembered how she recoiled as he yelled at her about the value of every life. About how people still cared for her. That he and Charlotte cared for her…and that wasn't a lie.

She had grown on them quickly. She had reminded him of his little sister from his human life. And Charlotte latched on to her as if she was a lifeline. Peter surmised that that was because she lacked friends that were female. After their time with Maria, where Charlotte couldn't make any friends, not that she had the disposition at the time to make friends, but it was impossible to make friends there. Then it was just them and Jasper for awhile. Still no females. Then Alice came along. That wasn't a good combination at all. Charlotte loves Jasper like a brother, but Alice always rubbed her the wrong way. It didn't help that her tolerance for the other two Cullen woman was short. Rosalie was horrid in every manner of speaking. Peter himself had trouble standing in a room with her. She was not the type that Charlotte could ever even think of calling a friend. Esme, on the other hand, might have been someone that the small blonde would have stuck with if she hadn't been surrounded by the others.

After there several visits with that strange family or coven or whatever they considered themselves, Peter just couldn't see why Jasper wanted to stay there. Okay, Peter had to admit they weren't all bad. Emmett was okay. At least his massive chess games with Jasper were interesting. That last one still was funny. Jasper could out strategize everyone, but Emmett would always throw him for a loop. He would do the most unexpected things and that was what made it interesting. At one point, Jasper tried to instruct Emmett on how to win before the large vampire shrugged and moved a pawn on a pointless board and caused Jasper to flip the entire table. Peter had to help put the game back together before they continued.

Emmett really was the only good Cullen. Sure the doctor wasn't that horrible, but Peter just couldn't bring himself to really like a man that couldn't trust Jasper. They way he looked at him never made any sense to him. He knew it bothered Charlotte. When they would leave she would always mumble that bees were attracted to honey not salt.

But none of them were as bad as that Edward. Peter couldn't stand him. In his opinion that vampire was pompous, critical, and just plain insufferable. He could clearly remember the last time they had visited the Cullens just a few years ago in that small secluded town in Washington. Edward was barely around, which was fine by him, but every time he was he would just glare. He had this notion that they were going to waltz into a town of three thousand and start picking off the residents. First of all they weren't idiots and secondly they wouldn't consider causing anyone hardship. That just wasn't a part of who they were. Although, Charlotte would argue that all the shit Peter talked caused a good many people hardship, including her.

But none of the Cullens were what they wanted to be around. This girl, Bella, she was everything that Charlotte needed and Peter could see that. He knew that she had wit. He had seen it himself. She was sarcastic and lively, or at least she was at one time. Charlotte had made this girl her project. She wanted to bring back the girl that Bella used to be. But after three not so bad days, things went downhill.

Bella didn't stand in the middle of the room and periodically talk like she did before. After that night they found her in the kitchen she had stopped talking. She even stopped begging them to kill her, something that Peter wouldn't complain about. But yesterday things hit a low. That was the day she stopped eating. She did say something when Charlotte got upset when she wouldn't eat all day, but Peter almost wished she hadn't said anything. The look of devastation that crossed his beautiful wife's face was still etched in the forefront of his memory. When Bella had ungracefully announced that if they wouldn't kill her or allow her to kill herself then she would just waste away. They couldn't stop her without killing her. And the sad thing about that was she was right.

Charlotte walked up to her husband who continued to look at their ward, "You should go hunt, Peter. It's been two days." She placed her hand on his and gripped tightly for a minute.

"I know, sugar, but I just can't leave her like this." He shook his head slightly. For once in his vampire life he wasn't sure of anything and he didn't know what to do. "Humans can only go so long without food and even a shorter time without water. She only has what? Two days left? If she keeps on like this we really will lose her."

Charlotte closed her eyes momentarily. She knew how hard it was for her husband to feel he had no control. She felt the same. This girl was already a part of them and she was just throwing herself away in some grand gesture of chivalry. Charlotte fucking hated grand gestures.

"I think we need reinforcements, Peter. We need to force her hand." Her voice quivered slightly. This was either a good idea or a horrible one, but it was their only option.

"I'd really rather not drag anyone else into this, but I'd have to agree. She's forcing our hand, now. We don't have a fucking choice anymore. I'm not going to lose her." He looked up at his wife. Her red eyes had softened slightly as he spoke. He kissed her hand gently as he stood, "You make the phone call and I'll take a quick hunt. It shouldn't take him longer than a few hours to get here."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chibi-Kari: Massive amounts of reviews like that makes me update like this! Jasper next chapter, I promise! I don't own.**

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**Chapter 4**

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Charlotte closed her cell phone quickly. She had broken more than one doing this. The flip phones always tended to cause her problems, but she couldn't see herself with a touch phone especially the way she went through flip phones. She just wasn't very careful with her strength when she wasn't paying attention. And those damn flat phones never held their number lock. If she was human she would think that maybe, just possibly, she was forgetting to put it on, but with her enhanced memory she knew she was. Those damn phones were just defective. When you didn't want number lock on it would stick on and when you wanted it on it would call everyone on the planet. So she just stuck with her damn flip phones. This whole phone issue could all be solved if Peter would get her a damn house phone, but he refused. If the man could be considered paranoid she would call him on it. Sadly, all of his worries about being found out were a good possibility if they had a landline. And you just never knew with Maria. She was a vengeful bitch when she could be bothered.

Charlotte looked back up at the young girl standing in the living room. She had moved close to the couch and seemed to be deciding whether to sit or not. On top of not eating, she had taken to sleeping very little. Charlotte was almost hoping she would pass out while Peter was gone. If Bella did, she decided she would just bite the crap out of her and change her. Then the girl couldn't pull this crap, the Volturi wouldn't bother them, and she'd have a good friend. A very, very, pissed off good friend, but hell pissed off was a lot better than this emo crap that she was pulling.

It was for all good reason. Charlotte knew that. From what Bella had told her while she was talking, the girl was now alone. There was nothing and no one for her to go to. She had been driving to close out her mother's house in Phoenix so that it could be put on the market. She was hoping to sell it fast, but that wasn't very likely with the way the housing market was in Phoenix. Charlotte didn't argue with the girl. She had obviously been through enough, not that she knew exactly what enough was. All she had gotten out of her was that she lost everyone she loved and she had an incident with a vampire or more than one and lived. She still wouldn't talk.

It was almost endearing how she was worried about them. She especially liked Peter, although you wouldn't be able to tell looking at either of them. They were the type that would give each other a lot of crap and love every second of it. Charlotte had seen it a few times before she became like this. Peter would start on her and she would dish it right back. Then after a few minutes she would clam up and stop. It almost seemed like a survivors complex to Charlotte. She was afraid to be happy. Afraid to want to be here. Charlotte just knew that in the short time she was living with the it was one of the happiest. Bella was a friend that Charlotte had always wanted and she was a formidable verbal sparring partner with her husband. She fit right in with them. Like she was always meant to be there. But this wasn't working. This whole 'whoa is me, just kill me' attitude needed to stop and there was really only one way.

Charlotte was glad he was going to be there tonight. She only needed to wait 15 hours. She was a bit perturbed that he had more important tasks to take care of than aid her and Peter, granted she didn't explain the situation at all. She just told him that they needed some help with a problem only he could solve. And then he informed her, rather shortly, that he would have to take care of something first and he would be delayed. But what could she really complain about? Jasper wasn't bringing Alice. Charlotte shook her head at the mere thought of the other small woman. She just did not like the girl. She was meddlesome, annoying, and had no wit. She just couldn't understand why Jasper loved her. If she was allowed to speak her opinion on the matter, which Peter strictly forbid to her to do, she would tell her blonde friend that he wasn't in love with the pixie of a woman. He loved what she brought him to. Charlotte would give Alice credit for that. She brought the man that she thought of as a brother to happiness and freedom of fear and depression. Although, the way the family treated him wasn't very supportive. But to each their own and Jasper had certainly chosen his.

And Charlotte was choosing hers. She almost hoped that Jasper wouldn't get here before Bella fell asleep. And that her husband would take more time than necessary. She could simply state that she just didn't know if the girl was going to die and just couldn't let her die like that. That would work. She had the entire thing planned out. Bella falls asleep. Sneak up on her. Bite Bella. Stand there looking smug until Peter came up towards the house and then put on a look of panic for when he walks through the door. Tell her husband that she thought the young girl was going to die so she bit her. And then wait three days and reap the benefits of her new friendship. All blame free. Or at least that was the way it worked out in her head. Peter and his damn intuition might figure it out, but he wasn't going to complain. Charlotte was sure of that. Granted they hadn't talked about changing the girl, but she knew that Peter knew she wanted to. Maybe it wasn't the best to have her become a newborn in this emotional state, but what Charlotte wants Charlotte gets one way or another.

Peter the ever planner would always want the other way, but Charlotte wasn't known to think things out. She was the act now think later type. And it ended up doing her good. Back when Jasper was going to kill her and Peter decided he would try and talk the man out of it she decided, instead, to prepare to run. And running is what worked, not Peter's friendship crap. She swore sometimes Peter was like Barney about friendship. 'I love you, you love me' and all that crap. God why did she have to love him? Life would be easier if the man didn't talk back to her when she was always right. More than once she had to tell Peter to shut the fuck up and listen to her. She was right about Bella that night and she would be right about having Bella changed. God help anyone that wanted to argue with her on this subject. Bella was her friend.

She continued to stare intently at the young girl, just willing her to fall asleep. She had now moved to fully sit on the couch looking out the window. It was three am. Charlotte could only imagine how tired the girl was. Bella's head started to droop and Charlotte let a smile flash across her face. Her plan would be a success!

She made it about ten feet from Bella when she heard it. His steps were fast and sure. Charlotte cursed her luck as she heard her husband make his way back through the last steps of desert. She didn't have enough time now. Peter had ruined it for her.

She made her way back into the kitchen, not even bothering to look guilty. She knew Peter knew. That's why he chose that exact moment to come in. Sure enough he made his way into the kitchen slowly with one eyebrow raised in a mocking yet questioning look.

"Really?" That was all he asked and Charlotte knew that question was patronizing.

Against her better judgment she decided to answer him, "Yes. And you screwed it up."

Peter shook his head, his windswept hair falling back into place, "That wasn' a good idea."

"It was just fine. Peter, I will make sure she's turned. You can count on that!" She lowered her voice to a harsh whisper.

He sighed loudly and sat down on the bar stool sitting next to their counter. He swiveled slightly from side to side for a moment, "We will, Char. I promise you we will. Just not now. Not while she's in a state. Emotions are worse after the change. With her in a state like this we'd never get her calmed enough to explain it."

She stepped forward slightly. He wouldn't take it like this. It might be too late if they didn't soon. And what if Jasper had taken advice from that Cullen family and wouldn't let them turn her. Or what if he killed her! Peter was doing well with her and Charlotte reckoned that it was because he cared about her. Jasper wouldn't. He had worse control than Peter and he wouldn't be able to see what they saw in Bella. Especially with how she was right now! "But-"

"Char, I don't do this often. You know I like you to have your way. But no. Nothing you will say will change my mind. We aren't doing this. She will be changed I promise. No more harm will come to her. I promise you that. You called Jasper right?" She nodded her head curtly, "Well then he'll come in. Calm her down; we'll get'er a meal. Then change her. We'll do it tomorrow."

Charlotte lifted her head slightly and looked down at her husband, "And what if she doesn' wanna to be changed."

Peter's face shown as he broke out into a large smirk, "What do you think Jasper's for?" He slid off the chair and made his way towards his small wife, "When did he say he was goin' to be here?"

Charlotte let a small smile grace her face. She could deal with the other way right now. She sighed lightly as Peter took her into his arms and she stared up into his beautiful red eyes, "Tonight. Said he had somethin' else he needed to tackle first. Said he was bringin' someone too. Not Alice." Her smile grew wider.

"Wonder who."

"Hope its Emmett." Peter laughed lightly and nodded at his little wife. Really that was the only one he could stand. But something bothered Peter. Why was he bringing someone to their house? Jasper should know better than to just announce he was bringing someone. A vampire's house should be personal and Jasper was breaking that rule. Peter wanted to know why. His intuition flared again slightly as he started to feel uneasy. This was big whatever it was. Something had happened. Jasper wouldn't bring someone otherwise, but he sure as hell was going to give him something else to think about if it was someone other than Emmett.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chibi-Kari: Thanks again so much for the wonderful reviews. I still don't own and Happy New Year!**

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**Chapter 5**

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The day was crawling by like all the others to Bella. She was barely there anymore. Her "captives," as she teasing like to think of them, were good to her. They were good people. She may trust too easily, but these people were the type that she liked. Peter was a strong, smart man, that had the same sense of humor she did. And Charlotte was a kindred spirit. The moment they walked up to her on the street she wasn't rational. She knew she had stopped being rational, but she could still tell they were good people. A lot more decent than the humans she knew.

And she hated to do this to them, but they wouldn't kill her. She had no other options. She couldn't go on endangering people like this. She couldn't let them risk their lives so that she could live on for God only knows how long. Especially with Victoria being out there. She had seen the redhead back in Forks three, but for some reason the woman didn't kill her. She stood staring at her from outside her house and then wide-eyed turned and ran the other direction. Bella had thought she was going to come back for her that night, but she never came. She waited for days and the bitch never came back.

Bella had vaguely hoped that Victoria had been following her, so when her truck broke down she just got out and waited. She laid there and waited for three hours and nothing happened. After the first hour she figured Victoria was done with her. She wouldn't play these stupid games with her. James and the entire chase was a game. Victoria didn't play games. Laurent even told her that. Victoria was out for blood and was going to get it, but for some reason she didn't. She decided against it or she disappeared off the face of the planet. Bella wouldn't count the woman out completely, but with every day she waited it seemed increasingly less likely that she was coming after her. Maybe whatever the hell those wolf things were that dealt with Laurent that day had taken care of the redhead too. Bella couldn't be sure. Hell she couldn't be sure what the hell the things were.

Bella glanced up at Charlotte and Peter. They were cuddled up on the couch across from her. Peter had a big ass book in his hand and Charlotte was staring out into space with a small smile on her face. Peter looked up briefly and smiled when their eyes met. Bella had to push the responding smile down. It would just make it worse to get more attached to them when she was going to die.

She let her eyes flick over to Charlotte's form before looking at Peter once again. She watched as Peter peered at his wife for a moment out of the corner of his eye before meeting her eyes again and looking as if he was fighting back a laugh. He shrugged lightly in answer to her unvoiced question as if to say 'I don't know what she's doing.'

Bella really did like Peter and Charlotte. For once in her entire life she felt like she fit. She had never felt that "fit" with the Cullens and she had sure as hell never felt it with any human. But here it was like these people were cut from the same cloth. They were the perfect companions for her. She could read them and she knew they could read her. She just really wished that she had found them earlier. Back when she still could have stayed alive. Could have made a life with them. But she couldn't do that now.

Bella glanced back up at the couple. Something felt off. Ever since she had woken up this morning things had been strange. Charlotte had been in an excessively good mood, which was rare since Bella had decided to stop eating. On top of that, Charlotte hadn't even offered her food this morning and Peter hadn't threatened to force her to eat. It was strange, but maybe they had just decided to let her make her own decisions. It seemed highly unlikely, but it was the only explanation she could see at this point.

Peter smiled to himself lightly as Bella zoned back out again. She thought a lot and Peter liked that. It kept the mind sharp, although he did think she thought a little too much about others. The first thing he would teach her when he changed her, after hunting of course, was to be a little selfish sometimes. He was sure Charlotte wouldn't mind helping her learn that lesson and possibly with his credit card. The woman did like to shop, just not with Alice.

Peter looked at the clock. Jasper should be arriving in minutes. Or at least that's what Peter's intuition was yelling at him. Charlotte had called at three and from what he understood the other man had been in the car going to Seattle first. Then he said he would drive strait down. It was nearing six in the evening.

Peter already had his plan. He would slip out to the driveway when Jasper pulled up so he could explain the situation and meet whoever Jasper brought with him; he still hoped it was Emmett. Then he would have Jasper come in convince her that he knew best, feed her, and then bite her. Three days later he would have Jasper calm her down enough to explain the change. He would take his new little sister hunting and boom life would be good. His plan was good if he did say so himself. Bella wasn't completely illogical and when he would explain to her while she had an open mind things would work out. Charlotte always said he put too much stock in friendship and all that crap, as she called it, but people were better than she gave them credit for. Like the whole escaping Maria thing. Jasper let them run instead of having them killed. That right there was why he trusted people first and foremost. Granted, that wasn't quite the way he had thought it would happen. His original plan had included a little nicer of a Jasper than had gone directly with them. Not one that just didn't order them to be chased and killed. Sadly, that is why Charlotte always claimed she was right.

Either way it didn't matter. This time his plan was flawless because he knew Bella wanted to stay with them. He could see it in her eyes and feel it in her bones. This was already home for her; she just didn't know how to deal with that. She had lost so much already and someone had hurt her badly. Peter could practically feel the scars. Feel how unworthy she felt. It sickened him that someone would allow her to feel this way. That someone would make her feel this way. She was one of the most wonderful people Peter had ever met and worth every second of his time. But instead she thought she was boring, plain, unlovable, and down-right not good enough and it sickened him.

After he taught her how to be selfish he would have to teach her how to love herself. How to see everything that he and Charlotte saw in her in herself. She was quick to forgive and find the good in everyone, so he knew she had the skills. She just didn't know how to apply it to herself and Peter could teach her that. He fucking would teach her that. And then he would find out who the hell ruined her like this and literally fucking rip him a new one. It was a guy, obviously. Only a man can ruin a woman the way she was ruined. Oh yes he would be suffering immensely. Peter had a feeling it was whoever this mysterious vampire with amazing control. And if it was, then Peter would show this man just how much control he had when it came to torture. Limb from limb. Oh yeah limb from fucking limb. He couldn't stop the smile that crept up on his face at the idea.

Peter heard the rumble of the car as it got close. He started to smile before his intuition flared. This was a bad idea. He was suddenly on edge and didn't want them anywhere near Bella. He glanced down at Charlotte as she looked up at him panicked at his sudden change of demeanor. This was a bad idea. He wanted them gone. He heard the car door slam as someone got out and he stood up to go out there and tell them to leave. He would just go with Charlotte's plan. They could just change her and then explain and apologize later. Bella would forgive them.

He was about to make a break for the door when he heard it fling off the hinges. In less than a second Emmett was crouched slightly in front of him. Teeth bared and eyes pitch black. Peter's mind automatically went into fight mode. He scanned the room as he pushed Charlotte behind him. He cursed mentally as saw Bella was being held behind Emmett with one hand. He needed to get her so that they could protect her from the Cullen. He was about to bolt forward and bring Emmett down briefly to get Bella to safety when Jasper appeared between them.

His blonde friend was wide-eyed and looked slightly confused and panicked. Peter surmised it was because of Emmett's completely out of character behavior. Why in the world would he barge into another vampire's home and scare the crap out of their human? At least he hadn't bitten her yet. Peter sure as hell wouldn't let the big vampire get his teeth anywhere near her.

Peter felt Jasper's calm spread through the room and Emmett's growls calmed down slightly. His eyes were still narrowed and focused on every movement he made, but at least he didn't look quite as bloodthirsty.

Jasper's harsh voice rang through the awkward silence and low growls and snapped Peter to a reality he wished he'd never had to enter, "Why the fuck do you have Bella sitting in your living room?"

Peter heard Charlotte's quick intake of breath and knew she found the same conclusion he just rocketed to. It actually all made sense now. He just didn't think Jasper was that stupid. Bella was from a small town in Washington. He never asked the name, but there weren't that many small towns in Washington. The only fucking vampires around for her to get involved with were the Cullens. The Cullens had done this to her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chibi-Kari: Thanks again so much for the wonderful reviews. I still don't own!**

**Note: I am trying to write in dialect when Peter and Charlotte speak. That's why it looks funny, but if you read it exactly how you see it you should be able to mentally hear the southern accent. I'm not very good at dialect yet, but it should get better as we go!**

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**Chapter 6**

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Charlotte watched wide-eyed as the scene before her played out. She hadn't been expecting it to be the Cullens. She knew they liked to play human, but she just couldn't bring herself to believe they would expose themselves so stupidly and then leave behind the evidence. She shook her head slightly. This was perhaps the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard of the Cullens doing. And she thought attending high school repeatedly was up there with the seven wonders of the world.

Charlotte looked around slightly. Peter was too still and for once in their century together she had no idea what he was going to do. His eyes were trained on Jasper and would only move when their blonde friend would move slightly. She glanced to Emmett. The big vampire was still crouched in what she could now identify as a protective manner. Her eyes quickly found Bella and widened slightly. The girl was always unnaturally pale, but now she had lost all the blood in her face and seemed to be swaying slightly.

Alarmed she stepped forward and everything happened at once. Charlotte wasn't paying much attention to Jasper and Peter, but she noted that her husband flew through the air towards their blonde friend as she made her way towards Bella's falling form. Emmett reeled around as he caught the fainting human and turned back to Charlotte crouching forward and growling louder.

"I swear to God if you growl at me one more time, Emmett, I'll lay you out. I have no qualms about doin' it. You give me Bella right this instant!" Her voice was low and menacing. She saw the bigger vampire flinch.

"What do you want with her?" He bared his teeth trying to be more intimidating as she advanced. She noted how inexperienced Emmett was. He relied too much on his appearance to keep others away. If she was in a giving mood later she might tell him this. Chances were she wouldn't be, though. At the moment she didn't even want these people in her house. These were the people that hurt her friend and quite possibly broke her with their new appearance.

"First I wanna get her away from you and then I plan on movin' her to the guest bedroom." She needed to get Bella away from him in the most peaceful manner. Charlotte wasn't quite sure he was watching his strength while he held her and if a fight broke out worse than what Peter was currently doing to Jasper she wouldn't be able to protect her without risk of injury. She hesitated a moment as she mentally went down the path of injury equals excuse to change Bella before shaking her head. She couldn't control the situation so risk of death was equally as high as risk of injury and just not worth it. "Giv'er to me, Emmett."

"No. Who knows what you're planning on doing! You were probably going to eat her!" He looked around wild-eyed and Charlotte knew he was looking for a way to make it out of the house and she certainly wouldn't let that be happening.

"Oh, I won't be hurtin' let alone eatin' her. You on the other han' did more than enough damage to last a lifetime so I suggest that you giv'er to me right now or I will take her from you." Her voice sneered and she hated the sound of it, but it did the job. She watched as Emmett froze and a look of panic crossed his features before he looked down at the human in his arms. Charlotte could see his mind flying back to the moments he saw her and tried to piece together the situation.

"You weren't going to eat her were you?" His voice was unsure and slightly confused.

"I think we woulda eaten her long before now if we were." Charlotte stepped closer and she knew she was in a position to snatch Bella if Emmett changed his mind.

He stood slowly until he was towering over the small blonde woman, "I want to bring her to the room. I'll leave and follow you back here. Just…I want to bring her."

Charlotte nodded slightly. She could live with this. They would drop Bella off in the guest room and then she would eject the Cullens from her house before changing her. She turned and lead the way out of the room Emmett trailing behind her. She glanced at her husband and their lifelong friend before leaving the room. Peter had Jasper pinned to the ground. Neither were moving.

She quickly led the way down the hall. She didn't want them in her house longer than was necessary. She opened the door to the bedroom next to her and Peter's.

"You can put'er on the bed." She gestured towards the room that had become Bella's.

Charlotte could feel a little of her distaste for the big Cullen die down as she watched him pull back he covers with one hand and place her small human under them. She was quiet as she watched him work. He was clearly upset as he brought the covers up and stopped for a moment looking down at Bella.

"She's smaller than she was. Is she sick?" His voice was a quiet hum. It was obvious he was trying not to wake her.

"Sick of livin'. Not much of anything else. Though she hasn't eaten in a few days." She didn't have to tell him anything. She knew she really shouldn't have, but a part of her was hoping this information would hurt him. She wanted him to hurt as much as Bella was hurting.

"You haven't been feeding her!?" He turned on his heal towards her and Charlotte had to admit if she wasn't an experienced fighter he would have intimidated her.

"No we've been trying to feed her. She has chosen not to eat." Turning your back on an angry vampire was something that Charlotte would not normally do because it was dangerous, but she was disgusted and distraught so she turned and left the room. She heard Emmett's anger deflate from outside the door and after a moment's hesitation she heard him start to follow her back down the hall.

They entered the living room to find that Peter had let Jasper stand back up and they were at opposite sides of the room. Charlotte moved next to her husband whose jaw was clenched so tight that she feared he might shatter his teeth. Emmett moved awkwardly to the middle of the room looking back and forth between his brother and Charlotte and Peter before moving to stand next to Jasper.

"I want you out." Peter spit as he give Jasper a look of disgust. "I want you out of my house right now."

"We aren't leaving without Bella." Jasper's voice was calm and confident. Charlotte flinched as she felt him start to manipulate the atmosphere of the room.

"You stop that right now Jasper Whitlock. I've lived with you for years. I know how that power works." Charlotte's voice cut through the room and she felt his influence retract.

"You're telling us to leave. What are you going to do when we leave, huh? Are you just going to let her waste away like you're doing right now!?" Emmett's voice boomed through the room and Charlotte flinched slightly. That was what they were currently letting her do.

"No. We're goin' to change her." Peter's voice was clear and left no room for argument.

"No." Emmett's said simply.

"You don' have a say in the matter. She's our family." Charlotte sneered.

"We aren't leaving." Jasper's voice was firm as it silenced the entire room.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chibi-Kari: Sorry for the crazy long wait. I had a hard time getting this over one thousand words and I don't like to post if it's less than that. But here it is...finally. It's more of a filler chapter before all hell really breaks loose! I don't own and thanks for sticking with me!**

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**Chapter 7**

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The few moments of silence were quickly ended as Charlotte's laughter echoed through the room. She bent slightly at the hips before straightening up and meeting Jasper's gaze. "You. You're tellin' me no? You're standin' in my house tellin' me no?! Oh that's rich!"

Jasper growled slightly and Peter moved forward to stand in front of her growling back, "That's exactly what I'm telling you. I'm telling you that we won't be leaving without Bella and you won't be changing her."

Charlotte's laughter completely subsided and her eyes narrowed, "And what will you, pray tell, do with her? Bring her to Daddy Cullen, perhaps? I think that'll take so much 'splanin' that you won't wanna do that. What would Daddy Cullen do anyway with all his self-riotous spiel do about her, huh? Talk her to death? The value of life and all. We know how well that'd go over. Force feed her? Nah. You wouldn't do that. Humanitarians that you'll are. You couldn't do that. You screwed up and Peter and I are fixin' it. Go on your merry way and leave us be because, frankly, you've failed." Charlotte knew that was a low blow. Jasper hated to fail it was a mixture of the man and the soldier in him. Pride such an idiotic male downfall. She knew exactly how he could get, especially when he and Peter would have what Charlotte affectionately referred to as pissing contests.

"Fixing her? Fixing her?! I say you're doing a damn good job fixing her with her whole refusal to eat! Great job guys! How about a round of applause! And you talk about what we did!" Emmett gestured wildly in a loud whisper.

"Don' even start with that. You don' know what she's doin' or goin' through. So don' you even start that." Peter's voice was harsh. This conversation was going on far too long in his mind. They should have just left when asked. That was what friends were supposed to do and Jasper was supposed to be his best friend. Although at the moment Peter was having a hard time computing that fact. What they had done to Bella was worse than anything he had seen in awhile. The girl wasn't just broken; she was destroyed.

Jasper took two steps backwards and fell onto the couch, resting his arms along the back, "Enlighten us then. Why isn't she eating? Why does she look like that?"

"Why should we tell-" Charlotte would have been a purple color if she was still human and Peter worried with the dark shade her eyes were turning.

He raised his hand slightly silencing his wife, "No, Char. How 'bout we play fill in the blanks. We'll tell you what we know and you tell us what you know. Fair?"

Jasper nodded slightly before gesturing for Peter to continue with an idle movement of his hand.

"We found her 'bout three weeks ago on US95."

"On the road…like driving?" Emmett looked confused as he tried to figure out why his little sister figure was even that far south.

"On the road like lyin' there smack dab in the middle in the middle of the night. Her truck broke down and she just got out."

"What the hell was she thinking?! She could have gotten killed! Rattle snakes! Vampires! Scorpions!" Emmett stood up, hands clenched and looked towards the hallway contemplating barging into her room and informing her of her stupidity.

"That's exactly what she wanted." Charlotte's voice was soft shifting his attention back to the story at hand.

"What do you mean?" Emmett began to realize there was more to the story than what he just found out.

"She asked us to. Tried to force us to. We couldn' leave her there. Couldn' do that to her. An' we couldn' let'er walk away because she knew what we were…are."

"And that's your fault." Charlotte's eyes flashed dangerously as she leveled her gaze on Jasper and Emmett.

"Char-"

"No, it is. If they woulda jus' turned her there wouldn't be an issue. Instead they left her God knows where and expected her to jus' live on without any problems." Charlotte looked livid as she glared at the two men across from her.

"Edward thought he was doing the right thing." Emmett's voice was small, as if he didn't believe what was happening. Couldn't believe the story being laid out before his eyes.

"Edward." Peter laughed slightly, "How did I know it would be Edward. How the hell did that insufferable prick get a girl like Bella?"

Emmett shook his head slightly, "A wonder of the world."

Strained laughter filled the room before quickly been overthrown by silence. No one seemed to know what to say and Charlotte fidgeted slightly to ease the tension.

"So how did the entire Cullen clan choose to just up and leave? Didn' anyone think it was a good idea to do something…anything about the human?" Peter's voice was subdued. He needed to understand what happened. He thought if he could just understand maybe he could find a solution. Help her.

"It's not like we just left easily. Carlisle and Esme were sick about the decision and God knows Emmett threw a fit. And Alice didn't want to; she just didn't see any other way." Jasper's voice was grave as his eyes traveled around the room taking in the small mementos that were his friends. Nomads that had found a home. Settled.

"Alice didn't see any other way? Yeah her visions are the only path to follow. Don' we all know how that works. An all seeing ball of perfection. We get it." Charlotte sneered out.

"Alice is her best friend." Jasper's gaze snapped to Charlotte as he weakly tried to defend Alice.

"Was. Was her best friend and by what I've seen layin' in the other room and what you just said I don' see much evidence of that. Best friend by ass. I'm her best friend. I care about her. I don' see Alice sittin' in there with her. No, that has been me." She paused slightly before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "So, Rosalie wasn't added to that little list, but we all know she didn' care a flyin' rat's ass about Bella. I mean, she probably wanted to kill her just for bein' alive. Everyone knows how she is. As I've always been sayin' at least she's honest. An' you, Jasper, why didn' you do somethin'? I didn' think you'd be so stupid as to leave her behind like that. What happened to tiein' up loose ends?"

"He's the reason we left." Emmett ground out as he glared slightly at his brother.

Peter raised an eyebrow, "Care to explain?" He leveled his gaze on Jasper, who just looked out towards the window before he glanced back at Emmett for the answer.

Emmett's voice was harsh as he spat the truth. "He tried to eat her on her birthday."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chibi-Kari: I bring you another chapter. I don't own, but thank you for your support!**

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**Chapter 8**

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"What the fuck." That was all Peter's superior mind could come up with as he stared at his best friend or possibly from this moment forward his ex-best friend. This was the man that he had gone through hell and back with. Fuck, hell and back twice. If he thought he knew anyone in the world it would be Jasper. He had never thought that his best friend would do something like that. Something like try to kill his brother's girlfriend. Hell, kill Bella in general.

"I think that was everyone's sentiments at the time." Her voice jarred Peter from his thoughts as he looked over to the doorway. Her face was hard as she made her way into the room.

Jasper turned to look at her, snarling slightly, "You knew what you signed on for."

Bella laughed mirthfully, her hair cascading down her back as she threw her head back, "Signed on for? I signed on for love and happiness. I most certainly did not sign on for being eaten or thrown into a damn set of plates. I knew what I signed on for? I was seventeen for fucks sake! I had no idea! I thought I was in love and that was all that mattered to me. Lord, did I find out how small and insignificant that part of my life was. How absolutely stupid I was. How that little piece of so called happiness didn't even dent anything else that I had. Jasper, trust me when I say that I had no idea what I had signed up for and of all the things Edward told me what happened wasn't even close to the list. Couldn't even come close. Love and happiness wasn't worth a second of it."

Bella took a seat next to Charlotte and Peter, looking at neither of them. She had trained her gaze to the spot directly between Emmett and Jasper. It was like she couldn't decide who she was upset with more and Peter couldn't quite figure out why.

"What happened to you? I'm sorry about everything, Bells. I'll fix it. I promise." Peter could hear the quiver in Emmett's voice and could see the affection that his gaze held. He knew there was a reason he always liked Emmett. He cared. Cared about everything he did and said and never meant harm on anyone. It was rather amazing when you took into account his size, but as cheesy as it sounded the guy obviously had a heart to match. Peter shudder slightly; that was a disturbing thought to think about another guy. Maybe Charlotte was right, he was turning into Barney.

"Fix it? Do you know a vampire that can turn the time back to a time before I met you? If you don't then I don't think you can help me. I don't have anything left so there's nothing to fix. Or can't you understand that in your infinite vampire wisdom that I don't want or need your help. Or maybe you just can't understand that life isn't peachy keen and fixed with I'm sorry. You know someone once told me that if I'm sorry fixed anything then we wouldn't need the police. You know, just a few years ago I wouldn't have believed that to be true…naive isn't it?" Her gaze was fierce as she stared directly into Emmett's eyes. It was disconcerting to say the least.

"Bell-" Peter could tell his wife was going to try to calm down Bella and he wasn't sure if that was a good idea. Although, his ideas didn't seem to be that good to him lately. Yeah, bringing Jasper there was fucking smart. One for Murphy and his irony, zero for Peter.

"You still have us, Bells. You don't have nothing. Carlisle and Esme would take you in with open arms. I would take care of you. We could all be happy again. You just have to stop all this craziness." Emmett was simple at best and it exasperated Peter to no end. How the man functioned was beyond him. That must be why he was with Rosalie, at least she knew what was going on in the world around her.

"Oh? Just waltz back into a house full of vampires to get snacked on?"

"Bells-"

Jasper's gaze was locked on Bella and it was starting to bother Peter. If he went to try and take a bite out of her his head would be off faster than lightening. Peter wasn't playing around when it came to family and Bella had moved right into that spot. And Jasper…well he got booted right out of it when he found out that his friend had tried to take a bite out of Bella.

"I'm not going to fucking eat her, Peter. Don't pull that crap with me. It was a fucking mistake." Jasper's voice was harsh as he turned his gaze on his friend.

"Mistake. Mistake? I'd say tha' was an understatement." Charlotte laughed hollowly narrowing her eyes at Jasper.

"I hadn't fed in three damn days, Char. It wasn't like I meant to. She was bleeding in front of me and I was hungry. And it hit me. Hit me harder than anything had hit me before in my life." He shook his head slightly as if he was at a complete loss about the entire situation.

Peter's intuition flared. Something didn't sit right, like there was more to that story than anyone was sharing or maybe even knew, "Alice didn't make sure you fed. Hell, you didn't make sure?"

Jasper shook his head, "Alice fucking said nothing would happen. And I was testing myself. I had been doing better. I had actually gone up to a week before. This was nowhere near as long as I've gone before."

Bella shook her head in disgust, "It doesn't matter. I want you to go. Both of you. Get out of my sight. Go! I don't want your fucking family!"

"We aren't leaving. And whatever the hell you're doing needs to stop. I can't feel you." Jasper's voice was firm and their eyes locked trying to fight for dominance.

Bella rolled her eyes to meet his and her face went blank, "You can't. Wow…how the mighty have fallen. If you won't leave I'm not going to do anything about it. It guess it doesn't matter in the long run anyway." She sat down heavily on the sofa as if the last five minutes exhausted her more than anything else.

And Peter wasn't surprised. Not getting the nutrients that she needed must have been exhausting. And it was really worrying him. She really didn't have much longer if they didn't do anything and changing her didn't seem like it was going to happen with Jasper and Emmett there. Although, the big guy might be easier to win over than Jasper. The man had been headstrong since birth.

"Bells. What happened? Why are you like this?" Emmett asked. He sounded as tired as Bella looked. He was beside himself with worry and Peter could almost feel it as if it pooled out of the man and filled the room.

"Nothing. Everything. Does it matter? I won't be like this for much longer. I promise you that." There wasn't a question in anyone's minds of what she meant by that. And Peter almost thought that she was right. With Jasper not being able to feel her and the two Cullens being there they couldn't convince her to eat and he and Charlotte couldn't just bite her and pretend they had fallen on her and their teeth just sunk in. No. They were screwed and not just screwed. They were royally screwed.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chibi-Kari: Sorry for the long wait! Life has been crazy, but I should have my Master's degree by the end of this month! By the way, I would like to thank the two amazing blogs that wrote about my story! I hope I don't disappoint with this chapter! I don't own and enjoy!

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**Chapter 9

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Two days had past and Bella was starting to sleep more and more. The fatigue and lack of substance was starting to ware her down and it was slowly starting to kill everyone in the house. Peter sighed again. She lay on the couch with her eyes closed and he could only begin to count the hours until he could no longer see her as family. And Jasper wouldn't fucking leave. Peter glanced at the man that had taken up post in whatever room Bella was in, much to her chagrin. He was being a damn pest and if Peter could just throw him out of the house…literally….he would. Right through Charlotte's favourite window. He hated that ugly piece of glass anyway. It was supposed to be reminiscent of an old cathedral's stained glass, but it didn't match anything and looked down right stupid in the house. But he couldn't fight her. She always won and God knew she always thought he was right. It was a war that just wasn't worth having.

"You know Char would kill you if you broke that window." Jasper's voice cut through the silence as he tried to ease some of the anger and strain that had befallen the two friends over the last few days.

Peter narrowed his eyes slightly at the piece of glass, "It's ugly an' she's not home ta find out it was me."

Jasper laughed lightly, "It's not so bad, Pete."

"How 'bout ya go ou'side an' take a look. It's worse from out there." Peter knew Jasper wouldn't fall for it and the narrowing of his ex-best friend's eyes were his confirmation of that. But like Peter always said, he couldn't be blamed for trying.

"You aren't changing her Peter." Jasper felt that it was his most common phrase in the last few days.

"Obviously as ya won' leave her be for a few minutes. Don' ya think ya need to go huntin' soon? Been two days." Peter looked smug. Fact was all he needed to get Jasper out of the house. Although he played with the idea of letting Jasper get hungry enough to bite her and then throw him out of the house. Get their way and make him feel guilty. That's what he called a win win situation. It might be cruel, but he wasn't feeling like Barney anymore. Not with all the time they were wasting and watching Bella like that.

"Like I said before, I've been longer." Jasper's eyes flashed dangerously, but Peter didn't even flinch.

In his opinion he though Jasper should be the one flinching and if he had any say in the matter he would have shredded his damn ex-best friend ages ago. But no…his beautiful wife had suddenly become fond of Emmett. They gallivanted around together. Today they were stealing some intravenous fluids from the hospital about fifty miles away. It was a last ditch effort to keep her alive so they could talk some sense into her. At least that's what Charlotte said Emmett wanted to do. He had a feeling that their motives weren't quite that innocent, but he wasn't going to stop him. Not if it made Bella a vampire at least. Although, he seriously hoped that they didn't plan to put venom in there…that would make for a long and painful change. He shuddered slightly at the thought. He tried to avoid thinking about his change at all costs, let alone anyone elses.

Peter ran his eyes over the entire room. He knew Charlotte and Emmett were on their way back. He could hear them coming around the bend and knew he only had about three minutes before they burst through the door to try this little ad hoc plan of theirs.

"So where's Alice? That lil ball'a perfection didn' wanna ruin \er perfect score at life?" It might have been a low blow, but hell Alice wasn't here and it wasn't like it was a secret that he hated her. He once called her what's-her-face to her actual face. That was a bad moment, even for him. It was a reflex, though. Charlotte didn't like saying her name. Thought it was something along the lines of Voldermort in the last Harry Potter book. If she accidentally said it the bitch would appear. Or something along those lines.

"Don't care." Jasper's reply was said simply with a little shrug as he focused a bit harder on Bella's breathing. Peter vaguely wondered if he was counting breaths.

"Tha's funny. Ya always cared before." He knew there was something to this and his intuition was telling him it was all connected, but how was beyond him. But he could tell one thing. Today was going to be a good day. He smiled to himself as he glanced around the room.

"Divorced." The word was barely out of his mouth when Charlotte and Emmett tore through the room.

Bella barely opened her eyes as Charlotte rolled her on to her back and Emmett set up the stand next to her. Peter's heart broke a little as he noticed she didn't even have the strength to fight them as they prepared to lengthen her life a few moments.

"Ya'll need to tak'a step out. Neither of ya have good will power. So scoot. Emmett and I will handle this. Ya'll can come back in three mins or so." Charlotte placed both her hand on her hips before straightening an arm and pointing to the door.

Jasper looked up at Emmett for a moment.

"I'll take care of her, don't worry. Head out. Take the time to have a hunt or something." Emmett's words were careful and Jasper seemed to measure the emotions in the air around him before nodding stiffly and turning to go out the door.

They were about two miles out before Bella's screams ripped through the air. Peter's mind buzzed to life as he tried to analyze the situation. Charlotte always got her way and she could convince a dying man to stand up and live for fifty more years. She was just that good, but God knew she didn't think everything through.

They both stopped and stared at each other for a moment before Peter mumbled, "She better not have put it in the IV."

Jasper's eyes widened as he turned back towards the house. Whipping though the forest around him. Peter followed behind quickly. He'd bite her if he had to, to start the change going faster.

The made their way into the house in mere moments, but Peter was sure they felt an eternity to Bella. Her screams continued as he took stock in the room. He was momentarily impressed with his wife's forethought. She hadn't used the IV and that was a relief. He counted five bites on his soon to be little sister.

"I thought you were going to watch her, Emmett! I thought you'd be able to stop her!" Jasper was livid as he gestured vaguely at Charlotte who was looking extremely content with herself. "You just let her bite her like that?!"

Emmett's face darkened as he growled out, "Did you expect me to watch my little sister sit there and waste away? Did you expect me to approve of her wishes when they weren't best for her? And Charlotte didn't do this to her."

Jasper looked confused slightly and Peter admitted to himself, that for once, he was completely blindsided.

Emmett looked sadly down at the thrashing girl in front of him, "She hated me already, anyway." 


	10. Chapter 10

**Chibi-Kari: Another chapter. This time full of answers. I still don't own.

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**Chapter 10

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The words hung in the air heavily and Charlotte walked towards the large man. She lifted her hand tentatively before placing it on his bicep and squeezing gently. He had a good soul and Charlotte couldn't help but feel sympathy for him. She knew when she had been talking the younger vampire into working with her he gave in easily, but to hear him actually say that the woman he thought of as a sister hated him anyway broke her heart. She instantly felt bad for dragging him into the situation. But Bella would understand. She had to.

Peter watched his wife with a measured gaze. She was feeling bad about the entire situation and that was obvious. Hell he felt bad for the big lug, but what was done was done and frankly it needed to be done. Jasper could bite himself for all he cared.

"How-" Jasper shook slightly as he searched for his words, "How could you disregard everything she wanted to do this? If you loved her you wouldn't have done this."

Emmett shook off Charlotte's hand before stepping forward and taking Bella's hand. He ran his thumb over her hand several times before looking up at Jasper and narrowing his eyes, "No. I did this because I loved her. She didn't want to die. No matter how much she said she did I can tell you she didn't. She just didn't want to be in pain anymore."

"She's an adult. You can't just make decisions for her! She has a right to do with her life what she pleases! You removed her choice!" Jasper's voice rose to a low roar as he stepped forward closer to Bella.

Charlotte and Peter both moved forward incase Jasper decided to do something stupid. The man that was once called the major knew several different ways to stop a change. Neither of them were willing to let him stop this, especially if the cost was her life.

"This wasn't the same." Emmett's voice was deadly and stopped Jasper in his tracks. "This isn't what Alice did to you. This isn't what Edward did to Bella. These weren't things like where to go that day or what is the right lifestyle for you. This wasn't a choice. This was her trying to force her way out. Controlling and saving are two different things. It's sad that you can no longer see that, brother. That you've become so disillusioned."

Jasper looked down and balled his fist before turning abruptly towards the door. He slammed his fist in the wall before speeding out the door and into the darkening forest.

Peter looked through the door a moment longer before training his glance to the man in front of him once again, "Is tha' why he divorced 'er?"

Emmett closed his eyes briefly before nodding his head, "Alice got really bad at the end. It changed from his clothes and lifestyle to what he should say or when he could talk at all. I can't explain what happened to her. She seemed like she was losing control of everything around her so she tried to stay in control of him. In the end it was Carlisle that put a stop to it. It wasn't healthy and we all knew it. The tension was getting worse. It didn't help that Edward felt the need to harass Alice every few hours about not looking for Bella and not trying to contact her. Alice did love her like a sister." He shook his head slightly. Everything was wrong. Everything went wrong, but this he knew was right. He would have his sister back.

Charlotte blinked slightly. The first thought that had crossed her mind was how glad she was that Jasper had obviously realized that Alice wasn't right for him, but as his story went on she started to feel for the other vampire. Only slightly and God knew the moment that she saw her she would immediately regret even thinking that. The woman was the most annoying thing on the planet. But right now she could see how the stress of the situation caused her to demand control. She was in a mental facility when she was human. The need for control was common in situations like that. The thing was you couldn't control another person, especially one like Jasper. And him letting her for so long only fed the bad habit.

"Wha'd the good doc do?" Charlotte tried to smile slightly when she asked, but the situation was weighing on her. Jasper wouldn't have appreciated the invasion on his life by the other man. He was a lot like Peter. He was a man's man. He liked being in control or at least pretending. Having an intervention wasn't something that was his style.

Emmett sighed as he looked down at Bella. He focused hard like she held the key to everything. "He separated them one night after a particularly bad fight. Alice took off and Carlisle approached Jasper. He reminded him of what he thought when he looked at Edward and Bella's old relationship. Jasper had gone to Carlisle to try to get him to say something to Edward when he got controlling over where she was and who she was with. There are some werewolves in Forks and Bella in her ability to pick out only supernatural creatures got mixed up with them. Edward wasn't very fond of her attachment to a particular one. At the time, though, Bella wasn't aware what they were. I'm not sure she knows even now. But it bothered Jasper to see how Edward treated her and tried to control every aspect of her life. He couldn't seem to leave her to fend for herself for a moment. She wasn't an invalid. She survived for years without him." Emmett shook his head slightly. He was getting off topic, but it had bothered him too, not to mention Rose. "Jasper being the southern gentleman that he was thought of it as mistreating a lady and being disrespectful. Carlisle pointed out to him that Alice was treating him like Edward had treated Bella. He reminded Jasper that it wasn't right for anyone to be treated this way and that it wasn't something that was going to be fixed. I think because Carlisle had gone as far to say the relationship was over really rattled Jasper. I mean Carlisle is more than old fashioned and a firm believer in eternal love and here he was advocating the end to a relationship. I think that's what really ended things. That and Alice's parting words of 'You won't last a minute without me.' That was the end of things." Emmett shook his head again. "I probably shouldn't have said anything. I just seem to be ruining everything lately."

"This" Peter gestured to Bella and all over them, "isn't ruined. This was a right decision. Ya didn' ruin this an' we needed ta know about Japser. He's family. Ya'll are family."

Charlotte nodded and grasped Emmett's other hand in her own. They would be there for each other. That was all they could do right now. This wasn't exactly how she wanted things to work out, but they would. She always got her way in the end. Jasper would come around eventually. And Bella. Well, she would feel better in a few days after they got some blood in her.

Charlotte paused momentarily as her train of thought halted at the thought of blood. What they would do about that was a big question. Emmett had allowed her to be turned, but he certainly wouldn't approve of the food choice that both Peter and Charlotte lived off of. Changing her was one thing, but feeding her would be something else entirely.

"Shit." Charlotte mumbled to herself.

Peter looked up at his wife at the sound of her expletive. Within seconds he understood what caused that lapse in vocabulary. He had thought Japer and Emmett were hard to deal with before. They were going to be impossible, now. Dealing with Bella wouldn't be the hardest thing they had to do anymore.

"Shit." Peter mirrored his wife as he looked over his shoulder into the still open door. At least he had a few more days. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Chibi-Kari: Sorry for the wait, but this chapter was really hard to write and I'm having a hard time with inspiration. I will continue this of course, but updates may take awhile. I hope after the movie next month I'll get some more inspiration. Thanks for sticking with me and I still don't own.

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**Chapter 11

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Peter was suddenly reminded of what he heard some young college kids complaining about on a road trip he over heard about a year ago. When you didn't want time to speed past it did and when you wanted things to end quickly they dragged their heels into the ground. That was way too true at this moment, but he would have to say it was that combined with what the kid's friend responded with. Time goes faster the older you are. And damn right it went fast now. Screw being alive more than one hundred years! Peter watched as Bella's heart started to slow. Day three was up in about 10 seconds. It sped by to him, but probably felt like an eternity to her. And to make matters worse he hadn't even broached the subject of diet with Jasper, Emmett, or even Charlotte. It just never seemed like the right time. Damn, did that seem like such a cliché to think. He almost wanted to rip his own head off just for thinking that.

He stopped a moment and pondered the pros and cons of taking that set action. If he did then Jasper wouldn't want to do anything to him once he realized what was on the table. Suddenly the room filled with three more vampires and Peter suppressed the urge to groan. Time was going way too fast, but he would give anything to slow it down. Or hell speed it up at an amazing speed. He just wanted to skip to ten years from now.

Wait. Wasn't that what one of those college kids said, too? Damn. Peter shook his head. He couldn't even think for himself anymore. That's when you know it gets bad. Instead of using hundreds of years of wisdom that he had acquired, or didn't as Charlotte chose to think, he was basing his life on that of some twenty somethings in a beat up Jeep going down the highway at three am. Yes, Peter's life officially reached an all time low.

Jasper stepped forward, "I'll take her for her first hunt."

"I dun'-" Peter started, but Jasper held his hand up.

"I'm the best with newborns first of all. Second, you aren't deciding this for her. You already took away her other choice. I'm going to take her to hunt an animal because if she chooses to stick with that diet she won't have the regret of a human kill. If she decides to change to the human diet a prairie dog won't have hurt anything. By the way the food out here is scarce and crap. Just thought you should know." Jasper looked over his shoulder at Peter with a smile.

It had never dawned on him to let her choose that and Peter immediately felt like shit. He was doing a crap job of bringing his new little sister into the world. He was being a complete and utter ass and all he wanted to do was protect her. Granted, Jasper still wasn't right about not wanting to change her. What she was doing to herself was crap and worse than anything he could think of. It wasn't just painful to her, but to everyone around her. Everyone that cared about her. Yeah they were selfish when they changed her, but she had mastered that long before they acted.

Her heart stopped and everyone held their breath. It was bad enough that she was a newborn, but the scares that he, Jasper, and Charlotte sported were enough to make a seasoned vampire cringe. A newborn was volatile already.

She sat up swiftly and fluidly. Her red eyes watched them all carefully and she froze in a similar manner that they did. Peter took the moment to make sure she was all right. He almost wanted to smack himself again. The venom would make it so she was all right, but still it was habit from his human years.

Her hair had grown a few inches and looked a lot healthier than before. Her flesh had fattened out again and no longer looked sunken and loose. Her face was more angular and she was beautiful. Peter couldn't help but feel proud that this was his new sister. That this strong woman was part of his family.

"What the fuck?" Her voice seemed to throw her off as she grasped at her throat. Then she seemed completely bewildered as she brought her hands in front of her face, "Who changed me?" Her voice was fierce now and Peter almost took a step back. He wasn't quite expecting the growl that had resonated from her.

Emmett gulped before taking a step forward, "Me, Belly-bear."

Her eyes narrowed, "Why did you do that? I didn't want that! I didn't ask you to! What happened to your family and respecting people's wishes? Wasn't that like a code you lived by?"

"No." Emmett said softly, "We respect human life."

"Well then you should respect it full circle. Life and death." Her voice was deceptively calm.

Jasper's eyes were narrowed as he tried to get a reading off of her. He glanced at Peter. Peter didn't need a second look to understand what happened. Jasper couldn't feel her. They were playing blind and this was bad. Very bad.

"It is a human's duty to help anyone who needs it. My mother always told me that growing up. And you needed it, Bella." Emmett's voice was firm as he tried to make her understand.

"You're ignoring a keyword there, Em."

"Huh?" He questioned glancing around the room.

"Human. None of us are human. Well I was just three days ago." She sat back using her arms to support her, "So what do you want now? Are we supposed to go back to being a happy family? Am I supposed to waltz back to Edward and tell him now he doesn't have to worry about changing me? Am I supposed to beg him to love me again?"

"Love you again?" This time Jasper questioned her. "He always loved you."

"No. No he didn't. He informed me of that fact when he left me laying in the woods. Before he set in motion everything that ruined my life." Bella looked at him oddly before shaking her head slightly.

"Forest? What? What the hell happened, Bella?" Emmett seemed just as lost as Jasper did as he glanced around the room.

"Never mind we'll talk about all of that later. There is a lot that needs to be discussed, but first things first." Jasper said as he shook his head slightly, "You need to hunt. Your throat has to be killing you."

She cocked her head to the side and looked like she was contemplating something, "Nope. A little tickle, but nothing like that."

The room fell silent for a moment as Jasper tried to add two and two together. Peter looked just as lost as he tried to understand what that meant, but when he thought about it all he got were more questions. Why didn't her throat hurt? Why was she able to talk so civilized to them? He shook his head slightly. He shouldn't be surprised. She was always more questions than answers ever since the day he and Charlotte brought her into their kitchen.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chibi-Kari: **Sorry for the delay and thanks for the wonderful reviews. Sadly, the movie didn't help me because I got sick during the middle of it and wasn't able to see the end. So is life...I'll just wait until it comes out on dvd. I don't own, but please enjoy!

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**Chapter 12**

Jasper was following her closely as they both took off through the desert. At least he didn't have to worry about hikers. There was no one out this far. And if there had been anyone they would be doing them a service by killing them. Dehydration was the worst way to go. Well, Jasper didn't know that for certain, but he had read it and based on the symptoms he wasn't going to refute that fact.

She was fast. Much faster than he had expected her to be. It was almost like she was born to be a vampire. Everything was easy for her and there didn't seem to be a learning curve. Her thirst was under control as were her emotions. Or he hoped to whatever deity was out there that they were. He couldn't feel anything come off of her and that was dangerous. For once in his life he wasn't confident that he could use his power. What if something happened and he wasn't able to control her? Granted, his years in Maria's Army gave him skills most other vampires could only dream of. But this was unnerving. She was always an enigma, so he surmised that it shouldn't have been that much of a shock for her to react like this. For her to have this grace that put Alice to shame. To have her emotions in check. To have her be shielding herself from him moments after the change.

Jasper came to a stop as everything slid into place. She was a shield. Shit. It made sense though. Everything that Edward had ever said. She was a mental and physical shield. It was impressive and could be useful. Jasper pulled all the information he knew on that particular power to the front of his mind. Untrained shields tended to act based on trust. He had to stop himself from laughing at the thought that she never trusted Edward. Not that he could blame her he never could find it in himself to trust the young vampire either. Edward was a douche and didn't deserve her. Her shielding only proved that she would never trust her. That they could never be together. Then the idol thought flew through his mind. If shielding meant anything he couldn't have her either. Jasper shook his head fiercely. The thought was inappropriate and uncalled for. This was supposed to be his little sister for God's sake. He hadn't gotten to know her before because Edward kept them at arms length, but she was still a fixture in the family.

"Why are you staring off into space? I didn't know vampires could go into shock." Bella's mocking voice broke him away from his thoughts. He shouldn't dwell there anyway.

"They don't." He didn't feel like playing this game.

She stepped closer suddenly looking worried before freezing and letting an impassive expression fall over her features, "Well that's good. I would have just left you here."

Jasper wasn't sure why, but anger started bubbling up in him. She was being difficult and it infuriated him. She wasn't supposed to talk to him like this. "Why the fuck are you so angry? Tell me that Bella! Because Emmett was trying to do right by you. Peter and Charlotte were trying to do right by you! They all care about you and I don't see how have them care about you is such a crime."

She narrowed her eyes, "I didn't ask for this. I didn't want any of this."

"But you got it. Sometimes you have to deal with the things life throws at you. Stop acting like a child. You're an adult now. Grow up."

"You don't know anything about me or what I've had to deal with." Her voice was low and firm. Jasper would have been nervous if he was anyone else.

Instead he pulled himself up to his tallest. "You're Bella Swan and you got a raw deal. Many other people vampires and humans alike have. You thought you were in love, but it didn't work out. Been there. Done that. You were changed into a vampire against your will. Once again: been there; done that."

Bella stared at him intently, "Had your entire family slaughtered by a vengeful vampire? Been there? Done that?" She turned quickly and took off back towards the house.

Jasper stood still for a moment. He immediately knew who she was talking about. Victoria. He knew that he and Emmett should have gone out and burnt her ass.

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Bella came through the door silently before making her way into the living room. Emmett watched as she walked through the hall and sat on the couch. He didn't even try to move from his spot in the kitchen. He wasn't sure what to say to her. He didn't know what to think.

He had spent three days almost regretting what he did, but every time he came back to his justifications. He almost chickened out right before more because he was afraid of what he would tell Rose. He still wasn't sure what to tell her. She would be furious.

If there was one thing his wife was sure of it was that Bella should remain human. That she should live out her life and have as many babies as she possibly could. It was that thought two days in that gave him his perfect answer. She couldn't have babies if she was dead. And was it better to let her take her own life or give her a type of half life. Rose could argue with a lot, but she couldn't argue with that.

Emmett still couldn't get the ringing of Rose's voice out of his head. It wasn't quite that easy when he actually talked to her.

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_He had waited until Jasper escorted Bella out of the house before he even dared to look at his phone. He couldn't bring himself to call his wife when he knew Bella was here like this. Rose could practically smell it when he wasn't telling her everything. He often wondered if her badassness was a power._

_He watched as Charlotte and Peter made their way quickly out of the house claiming that they were going to go into Vegas and catch a quick bite. He nodded in response half heartedly. He'd have to call her now._

_Fishing his phone out of his pocket he quickly turned it on. The agonizing seconds wait seem worse than normal. His phone quickly started sounding as text message after text message downloaded. Then the voicemail alarm started. He shook his head slightly as he checked his inbox. Of course they were all from one Rosalie Hale. The last one almost broke his heart._

'_I understand this is a tough time for Jasper. He had to finalize the divorce and yeah that is crap, but you still shouldn't ignore me like this. Are you trying to divorce me, too?'_

_He shook his head before pressing the call button. He hadn't even gotten the chance to tell her that they had to go down to Peter and Charlotte's._

_Her voice picked up on the first ring, "Emmett? Why the hell haven't you called me? I've been trying to reach you for days. Fuck, Emmett. Days!" She was angry. There was no denying that._

"_My phone was off." He wasn't sure where to start and it showed in his voice, "Just for the record, I don't want a divorce."_

_She was silent a moment, "What's going on, Emmett? Are you and Jasper okay?"_

_He took a deep breath. God, he loved this woman, "Yeah. Yeah we're fine. A lot has happened, babe."_

"_Like what?" She pulled out her no nonsense voice._

"_I'm just going to cut to the chase with no bullshit. Don't interrupt me to the end, Rose. I swear to God I don't care what you say, just hold it to the end." He couldn't take her disappointment at him and he didn't need to hear it all throughout the story._

"_I love you, Em."_

_He nodded slightly and closed his eyes. She always knew what to say. Always. "Jasper got a call from his old friend's Peter and Charlotte. You remember them. Well, long story short. Bella's here and a vampire. I changed her because she was trying to kill herself." There was a pause and Emmett wondered if the phone got disconnected. "Babe?"_

"_She drove out there to find Jasper's long lost friends and convince them to kill her and you decided to change her instead?" She sounded confused._

"_No. No. Maybe I should have let you interrupt me. She stopped eating. Peter and Charlotte called Jasper down here to convince her otherwise. He wouldn't. She was on her deathbed, Rose! I couldn't let her die!" He willed her to understand._

_The silence was back and Emmett could practically hear her measure out her next sentences, "What did you say to try to convince her to choose life?"_

_That was the last question he expected. "Ah-"_

"_Did you even try? This was against her will? Screw it. Emmett, I'll be down there tomorrow. Wait for me." She ended the conversation with a click and Emmett felt completely blindsided. All of the conversations he had with her in his head, none of them ended like this._

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Emmett shook his head. He didn't want to think about Rosalie's impending visit or wrath. All he wanted was his little sister to understand and forgive him.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chibi-Kari:** Sorry guys; I've been way out of the swing of things for awhile...and I really just wanted this chapter to bring in Rosalie. I don't own, but hopefully writing a bit about her will jar me back into the story.

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**Chapter 13**

Jasper walked back in the house slowly and met eyes with Emmett. It obviously hadn't gone well. Bella was more quiet now than she had been when she was still human and Emmett couldn't help but notice that Jasper was sulking a little.

Jasper seemed to hesitate in the doorway before making his way into the kitchen. "We need to talk soon, but first you need to call your wife and then go talk to Bella."

Emmett sighed and shook his head slightly, "You can check Rose off that list." He glanced into the living room, "And I don't think Bella wants to talk to me right now."

"No shit, Sherlock." The sarcastic reply filtered through the house and Jasper glanced back at Bella. She hadn't looked forward or shown any other signs than that comment that she had been listening.

"Damn, I forgot you weren't human anymore." Jasper mumbled and shook his head.

She snapped her head to look at the two of them, "Funny, I haven't."

Emmett leaned backwards slightly as he took in the appearance of the two of them. He eyed them wearily for a moment before it hit him where he had seen those looks of frustration and heard those cutting remarks before. His eyes widened before he burst out into hysterical laughter. "Oh my God."

Jasper and Bella both snapped their attention to Emmett. Bella rose from the couch and walked in the room. Jasper couldn't help but sigh when he felt her curiosity reach him. It was almost painful for him to have a blind spot and, hell, he would take periodic feelings to the complete void that seemed to suck in the surrounding emotions.

"What?" Her voice seemed to smile.

Jasper guessed that she had once again forgotten that she was upset with them. It seemed she couldn't quite stop herself from caring no matter how angry she was and how much she didn't want to. That was another relief to him. They could get through to her if she was going to be like this. It wouldn't be easy, but it would be better than if she felt she couldn't trust them at all.

"Just don't get it on while I'm in the house!" Emmett only made himself laugh harder and started to pound the counter. Within seconds Jasper could make out the distinct imprint of Emmett's fist.

"Ya'll are buyin' me a new counter, too, I see." Charlotte's voice cut through the room and immediately diffused Emmett's laughter.

He looked down and immediately saw the damage he caused. His eyes widened and Charlotte started to laugh, which only caused Emmett to start up again.

"Get it on? What do you mean?" Bella sounded confused as she looked back and forth between Charlotte and Emmett.

Emmett took exaggerated breaths and Jasper couldn't help but roll his eyes, "You're like Rose and I. Totally foreplay going on there."

"What the fuck Emmett! No it wasn't. She's like a sister to me." Jasper couldn't help but raise his voice. For some reason he felt if he spoke louder it would make it truer. His real mother's voice rang through his ears reminding him that the louder you spoke the less true the statement. He cringed slightly before shaking his head.

"Known you fa years, Jas. That's true." Peter walked forward and placed a hand on Jaspers back as he tried to put a soothing look on his face, "But ya still can't do it in the house."

Jasper just stared wide-eyed at his oldest friend. Yes, it was a little bit true. But it hadn't been with Alice. He hadn't even thought about the playful banter that he used to think of as flirting. Alice controlled where, when, and why. That type of attitude didn't go with her way of doing things. But Peter was right. It was the same rush he got from teasing before. He hadn't even been trying to think of what to say like he used to. It was natural. And Bella hadn't really been angry when she said those things. Her tone had been sarcastic, yes, but also playful.

Before Jasper could finish his train of thought Emmett dove under the counter, "Shit."

"What?" Bella looked blindsided by the entire situation.

"She said she would be here tomorrow. How the fuck did she get here? Shit. Can she teleport?" Emmett tried to pull himself closer to the counter.

Jasper listened closely and immediately knew what had Emmett frightened. There was no mistaking the sound of those heels, "Hi, Rosalie." There was a snort before the kitchen door slammed open and Rosalie Hale stepped in the house in her immaculate white shirt and crisp denim jeans. "I take it you didn't run here."

"I'd been following your scent via car for the last few days. And luckily Emmett told me your exact location. Made things a little faster to get here." She sounded slightly disinterested as she nodded to Charlotte, "Lovely home." Her face suddenly became hard and she sneered at the bit of brown hair still visible over the countertop, "Emmett get your ass off the floor."

Jasper hadn't known Emmett could move as fast as he did and was mildly impressed, "I'm in big shit?"

Rosalie nodded tightly, "The biggest. You had no right to damn someone to this. I don't care if their vampire ass was going to cure cancer tomorrow."

"Finally someone on my side!" Bella gestured slightly.

Rosalie's head turned slowly until she had her glare focused on Bella, "Don't get me started on you, yet. I'll get there."

Rose brought her attention back to Emmett and seemed to deflate slightly, "Emmy, I know you thought you were doing the right thing and we'll talk more about this later. But what have I always told you? Exhaust all the fucking options first."

She turned back to Bella, "Throwing your life away like that? Not okay in my book. Nothing is ever that fucking bad. Nothing! You're a fucking coward, Bella. Not that I ever had any high expectations for you anyway." She sneered slightly at the end.

Bella growled slightly before stepping forward, "Don't pretend to know what is and isn't bad. Don't pretend to know you know what my life was or is like. Don't you fucking dare. You're just like Jasper. You can all fucking rot in hell. Oh wait…you will." She sneered slightly before stalking off in the back portion of the house.

Charlotte eyed the room carefully before ghosting out of it.

"Fucking brilliant, Rose. Fucking brilliant." Jasper shook his head slightly. There went gaining her trust.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chibi-Kari:** Sorry it took so long for an update and this is a small one, but I need to get the story straight in my head before I get on to the next part. Feedback helps me...and I still don't own. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 14**

"Oh get your panties out of your ass, Jasper! Can you get any more dramatic? You're giving Bella in there a run for her money." Rose threw her hair over her shoulder as she eyed him slightly.

"What the fuck? I'm trying to help her and get her to open up and you waltz in and pull your normal condescending shit." Jasper couldn't understand Rose on a good day, but she seemed to be growing more and more of an anomaly.

She let out a tisk before heading toward the back of the house Bella stomped off to, "Didn't you want her talking?"

He watched her go and couldn't stop yelling at her retreating back. "Well she isn't."

"You never did know anything." Rosalie yelled down the hallway towards the men in the kitchen.

This was woman's work, not that she liked to use that statement. In fact, she normally found it insulting, but in this case nothing that Jasper, Emmett, or Peter could say to Bella would make a difference. It was a different ballgame for a female during the change. They gave up something more and different than men did. And no matter who you are and what you say it is still something you lose and loss isn't easy.

Rosalie had to stop to figure out which room Bella had escaped to. The girl was easily the lightest on her feet of any vampire she had come across. There was a type of grace that Rose noticed instantly. It had been completely missing in her human form, but here it was the forefront of her presence. Although she didn't want to admit it, she was proud that this woman was her sister. Or step daughter if Emmett decided to think of her as a daughter something that many vampires thought of as their sires. Rose shuddered slightly. She'd rather stick with sister.

She finally pinpointed the room by Charlotte speaking a little above a whisper. It seemed that Bella continued pacing and ignoring the other woman. With a grace Rosalie pulled out at times she felt less than confident she pulled herself up to her tallest and pushed the door open quickly and stepped in.

"Get the fuck out! And while you're at it get the fuck over yourself!" Bella practically exploded.

"I agree. We don' wan' any trouble and you're causin' it." Charlotte agreed from her perch on the unnecessary bed in the middle of the room.

Rose stepped a little farther in the room shutting the door behind her. "You both might as well give up now. I'm not leaving this room until we have a little talk and neither are either of you. Those boys in the kitchen can sweat it out in there. We're going to sort some shit out starting with what the fuck."

Bella just shook her head at a complete loss. "That's my line. What the fuck! All of you feel the need to come into my life when I don't want you, but when I really could have used you you were nowhere to be found."

Rose waved her hand dismissively, "That would be Doucheward's fault. He pulled some emo crap and sobbed in a corner saying we couldn't even think of you. And Alice went bat shit crazy. It really wouldn't have been much help to have us around."

Bella smiled and nodded, "Yeah because a family of vampires, no matter how messed up they currently are, would be no help against a blood hungry vampire trying to destroy my life." Her eyes narrowed and the smile dropped from her face, "Oh wait. It would have."

It felt like a building had collapsed on her literally. "Victoria?"

Bella nodded.

"Edward said that little bitch wouldn't be around. She didn't have a reason." She had always thought he was wrong. There was always that part of her that didn't think things sat that pretty.

"Oh yeah, because a dead mate isn't enough for her to be hanging around destroying my life. Least you guys could have done was figure that much out. If you're going to abandon them don't leave them in the middle of shit you decided to dump." Bella deflated slightly and landed on the bed heavily next to Charlotte, the older vampire grasping her hand.

"Where is the bitch now?" Rosalie felt breathless. She wasn't sure what happened exactly, but she could tell it was worse than anything she had ever thought.

Bella shrugged slightly. "No idea. I was hoping she was stalking me."

"Hopin'?" Charlotte questioned lightly as if she was afraid that Bella would suddenly shut her mouth and stop letting them in. Rose had a sneaking suspicion that that wasn't far from what the blonde woman thought.

"Why do you think I was laying in the middle of the road like that? Think I enjoy just hanging out there? I was hoping she would come along and finally end it." She said it so nonchalantly that Rose had the strong urge to smack her. Bella shrugged again, "I should have known, though. I should have known by what she said."

"What did she say? Why wouldn't she? Why didn't she?" Bella had obviously had a conversation with the red headed she-devil and Rose just couldn't understand how she had come out unscathed and still alive. She wasn't sure what exactly she was asking Bella anymore, but she needed answers and she felt an urgency that she hadn't felt in a long time.

Rose started slightly as the door cracked open and the boys made their way in the room. They had obviously moved from down the hall and been waiting right outside the door. She couldn't blame them for coming in, but it could make Bella clam up and right now that was the last thing she wanted.

She let out a small breath she didn't realize she had been holding when Bella stood up slightly and waved her hands, "She said she wanted me to suffer like she did. Take everything away from me and leave me standing there in the wreckage of my life. She did a fine fucking job of it too."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chibi-Kari**: Sorry for the late update, but I finally know where I'm going with this again! Updates should come faster and there isn't much more to go. This is pretty much the setup for the end. I don't own and I hope someone out there is still following this! Really I am sorry!

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**Chapter 15**

"Victoria killed your family?" Jasper knew the answer. He didn't want to believe it so he just asked. When she had said in the desert and what she had alluded to earlier spelled it out clear as day, but he just couldn't bring himself to believe they messed up that bad. Sure the Cullens made mistakes sometimes…but never this bad.

Bella shrugged slightly as she flung her hair over her shoulder. "Yes. No. For all intents and purposes yes."

"What's that mean?" For once in her life Rosalie couldn't bring her voice full force. She was confused and upset. No matter how much crap she gave Bella she would never force the death of family. She knew how hard it was to watch all those you had cared about die. She just got to do it over a long period of time and she had the Cullens when it happened. If she had been alone and it had happened quickly. Well…she's not sure what she would do. Despair didn't seem like such a stretch anymore.

"Everyone, but my mom. Of course Renee would go out differently, but it was still Victoria's fault. Your heart can't be expected to take it when you walk into a room and find a woman sucking the blood out of your new husband. I think Victoria was a little disappointed when she didn't get to do the honors, but it still worked out." Bella tried to shrug nonchalantly and sidestepped as Charlotte tried to grab at her hand. "Doesn't matter now does it?"

"Charlie?" Emmett felt his voice crack slightly. It had never happened before and he had assumed that vampires couldn't get that emotional, but obviously he was wrong. His heart was breaking for Bella and Charlie was always one of his favorite humans. He just had this way about him. He always figured that if Carlisle and Esme allowed them to stick around a little longer he would pretend that he was forgoing college so he could be a police officer. He and Rose would get their own little place in town and she could open a little shop. Hell, he had thought about that even if Carlisle and Esme decided to leave. It wasn't like they didn't break up periodically. No one would complain. It wasn't like he didn't look twenty. Realistically, he knew he looked too old to play the little high school charade. But luckily no one questioned it. It seemed like a pretty face and a winning smile made people believe you. But standing in this room he knew not a single one of them looked the part of a teenager. They could pass off as grad students or recent grads, but high school was out for the whole lot of them.

Bella's voice ripped him from his thoughts and gave him something worse. "She got to him right after Laurent almost killed me."

"No way." Jasper shook his head firmly. "He's reformed. He's up with the Denali's now."

Bella just raised an eyebrow. "You might want to call them. I'm pretty sure he's wolf chow right now."

"Wolf chow?" Peter echoed. She couldn't be talking about those werewolves that Emmett mentioned earlier. She really was a supernatural magnet if that was true.

"Some big ass dog things. I wouldn't be surprised if they were werewolves you know with the whole vampires existing and all. Nothing surprises me anymore." Bella suddenly looked towards the window concentrating.

"You met the werewolves from La Push?" Emmett stood up quickly. "You really are a danger magnet. They could have killed you! Those creatures are volatile and kill indiscriminately!"

"La Push?" Bella broke out into a light laughter. "Ha! That story Jacob told me makes sense now. Should have known. But seriously Emmett. I think you described Jasper more than you described them. At least they saved my life."

Jasper couldn't stop the words as they bubble out of him. "Hey, I was the one that killed James. I think that qualifies as saving your life." He didn't know why he was so defensive about it, but he didn't want her to forget. He could protect her. He had protected her.

Bella narrowed her eyes and stepped forward. Jasper didn't hesitate to meet her step with one of his own.

"Well bravo, Jasper. You didn't kill her so she took revenge on my family. Brav-Fucking-O. I guess I'll count on you if I need you to do a half assed job at something. Hell, I always believed that if you need something done right you'll just have to do it yourself. You Cullens taught me that one. Although it seems you meddle in everything and mess it up."

"You couldn't have killed James yourself." Emmett tried to step towards her, but Rose placed a hand on his arm keeping him still.

"No. But I could have just died and then the entire thing would have been over and everyone would have been safe. Didn't you guys think I knew I was walking right into a trap? Hell, I even made it past you and Alice, Jasper. I was on a mission and we wouldn't be in this mess right now if you guys had just let me have my way."

"We were trying to keep you alive! Your plan sucked ass, Bella." Rose stood abruptly. Yes, things would have been easier if the other girl had died, but Rose couldn't justify it when it came down to it. She begrudgingly got to know her wit and fire. And it wasn't like she was afraid to have a verbal sparring match with her and Rose liked that. Alice wasn't up for it and avoided it at all costs. Edward just pissed her off. Emmett couldn't keep up. Jasper just changed the moods and she wasn't even willing to try with Carlisle and Esme. There were just some things you didn't do. Bella didn't shy away and was sharp.

"You just didn't want to deal with Edward's whining if something had happened to me. But you know what else could have changed everything that happened? If you had let James' venom change me. That would have been an easy out, too. If Victoria wanted to go after me I would have been able to fight her off. No. Instead you guys let Edward suck it out of me. You know what that was like? Hell. I started the damn change and then you let him pull the crap out. Oh and then Emmett goes and bites me and I go through it again."

The room was silent for a moment. She had a point.

"I wasn't for saving you like that." Jasper said lowly. "It was what you wanted and we couldn't be sure Edward would have been able to stop. Carlisle shouldn't have risked it."

Bella shrugged. "But he did and you guys didn't stop it. Doesn't matter much does it now?"

"Do you want to kill Victoria?" Rosalie couldn't stop the question and she wasn't going to make her go alone. She had taken revenge on her fiancé after what he did to her. And she would help Bella if she wanted to kill the woman. "I'll help you."

Jasper shook his head in disbelief. "Don't go looking for her. This isn't-"

Bella raised an eyebrow at Rosalie as she cut into Jasper's tirade. "I would say thank you for offering, but like I said before. You Cullens mess everything up. I will take my revenge and I can thank you for giving me the ability to, Emmett. But I'll do it on my own."

Rose couldn't stop the smile that crept up on her face. That was the Bella that she remembered. Smart and a backbone. That was the thing she hated most about Bella and Edward's relationship. He took her backbone from her. It seemed that she grew it back. "You forget I'm not a Cullen. I'm a Hale."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chibi-Kari:** Okay. This might not be what you guys were expecting, but sometime last night I decided that I wanted to do something different with Jasper. I feel like he's normally written a certain way, but I wanted to do it different. I feel like he would be honorable first and foremost. Remember in his story with Maria he talked about how he stopped to help the women? That wasn't about power or personal gain or even control. He stopped because it was how he was raised. I don't think he'd lose that...and maybe Boyce Avenue's cover of Teenage Dream influenced me when deciding on his character. I don't own and I hope I don't disappoint too many people. Please review...maybe we can hit 1K? LOL. Now that would be a great way to start the New Year! Happy New Year and please give me some feedback!

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**Chapter 16**

This wasn't a good idea and Jasper was going to let her know that. He, Emmett, and Peter could take care of Victoria. He was not comfortable with Rose and Bella taking off down the road to try and find the bitch. And here they were almost a week after the initial conversation and Rose and Bella were going to take off blindly. There was no plan. No strategy. It was stupid. It wasn't safe and letting them get themselves killed wasn't on his list of things to do. Rose was like his sister and Bella…well she was something else entirely. She was doing more than getting to him. It was like she was a part of him already. He couldn't lose that now that he got it. He'd just have to make her understand that it wasn't worth it.

He rounded the corner towards Bella's room. She was alone getting ready to head off with Rose into the great unknown and would be back God only knows when. He paused for a moment deciding whether to knock or not before simply throwing the door open stepping in and closing it behind him.

Bella didn't even flinch as the door slammed closed. "I wondered when you were going to come in here and try to talk me out of this."

"How do you know I'm going to try and talk you out of this?" Jasper echoed slightly confused at how easily she read him.

"You practically oozed displeasure when we were talking about it earlier." She paused a moment eyeing him slightly before turning back around to the bag she was packing. "And I know you."

Jasper couldn't stop the scoff from leaving his lips. "Know me? You don't know me. You've never spent more than five minutes in a conversation with me." He would plan on changing that, but right now she didn't know him.

Bella sighed slightly before turning to face him fully. "I do know you. I know you because you're who I was."

Jasper jerked back slightly. "What the fuck?"

She rolled her eyes throwing her hair over her shoulder. "You're someone who was always in control of your life and then somewhere along the way you lost that control and started letting everyone else make your decisions. Then it just-" She gestured with her hand. He knew what she meant. "Poof."

He couldn't help but stare at her. It was true. He had tried to deny it for years, but he knew exactly when it happened. That night Maria turned him he lost the confidence in himself. He went from the youngest commander to a minion. He had the balls to join the army underage even though it could have ruined both the lives of his family and himself. He was confident that he could talk his way out of anything that came his way or talk his way into if that be the case. But Maria. She stripped away everything he knew. She didn't just steal his humanity. She stole who he had been and replaced it with anger, false bravado, and a sense of entitlement that he really hadn't wanted. He at one time was genuine and charismatic. Now he was just charismatic…and that was really because of his power, not him. Not anymore. And Alice…well she had just made everything so much worse. She controlled him to the point where he wasn't sure what he should do anymore. He was trying to make his own decisions, but Bella was stopping him at every turn.

"Understand now? So you need to just stop. You aren't doing what you think you are. You're trying to control me not yourself." She closed her eyes tightly before opening them to stare at him. She felt bad for him. They were so alike and she really felt he was special…not to mention he was the best looking vampire she ever laid her eyes on. And he instinctively understood her. It was eerie that he seemed to know what she was thinking before she finished thinking it, but the way he was…she couldn't get involved with him until he decided what he wanted. And looking at him right now she could see he was getting there…quickly at that. A small smirk broke over his features and Bella suppressed the shiver of pleasure that rang through her body. Very quickly.

He took a step towards her. He could give her what she wanted if she gave him what he wanted. "I can't say you're that far off. So, what do you suggest I do?"

Bella swallowed. There he was. This was a man that she hadn't quite expected. He was more than she thought he would be. He changed in a split second and it reminded her of something that Edward had said to her. When a vampire changes who they are it isn't slow. It's earth shifting. With Jasper it was more like the layer he was hiding behind slipped off and showed something that she had only glimpsed since her change. If she really wanted to be honest she would say she saw pieces of it when she was still human. Glimpses when they would play chess or he would observe her from across the room. She had always been aware of him. And now she knew why. He was commanding. A presence that couldn't be ignored. This was Jasper and he was toying with her, but she'd take that head on. She liked it.

She shrugged slightly a matching smirk making its way onto her face. "I'd say find something you want and then go for it completely."

"Hmmm." He scanned her slowly before taking another step forward. Instinctively she took a step back almost hitting the wall. "And I should go for it completely?"

His eyes almost rolled into the back of his head as her emotions washed over him again. They were more genuine than anything he had ever felt and his body seemed to embrace them. It was different than anyone else. Most emotions felt like an intrusion that he needed to push aside. Her's gripped him and built his own. And right now what she was feeling was more than enough to bring him to his knees…or better yet both of them to the floor.

Another wave of lust and an undercurrent of love flew through him and he knew right then Alice had been less than a shadow compared to this. He had thought people like Rose and Emmett had somehow exaggerated their feelings. There wasn't any doubt here. They didn't need to talk about this. This was it. And ten minutes before he didn't want to do this. He didn't want to open up to her like this, but with a few words he embraced that part of him he thought had been forever been destroyed by Maria. She didn't push him to make this change. She had this way of encouraging him, but she had done that even when she was human. Bella had this way about her that made him want to do better. Made him want to spend time with her. It was like she complimented him without doing anything.

He couldn't be sure who made the first move…maybe no one did. But suddenly his lips were on hers and he was pressing her into the wall behind her. He wasn't new to this, but it was different. Every touch seemed magnified from what he had ever felt before. Every experience he had had before seemed so inconsequential now. There was no doubt in his mind that he could never look at another. And the way her hands were finding themselves running up his back under his shirt he knew she felt the same. It was like he could feel her on a different level than before. It was like a world just for them. There was nothing to feel except for each other.

He ghosted his hands up her sides relishing in her slender frame. His thumbs caressing just below her breasts before sliding back down to grip the skin that he exposed by his earlier actions. He couldn't get enough. She couldn't get close enough. His hands were about to make a journey to her long legs when a loud thump on the door shook him from his thoughts.

He should have been angry, but instead he found himself laughing at Emmett. The other vampire was swearing outside the door and threatening him bodily harm for doing that in the house. He couldn't be too angry. They had all the time in the world and he would make sure to do it right. He was a southern gentleman.

Bella's head thumped lightly against the wall behind her as she let out a small growl. Jasper couldn't help but laugh again before lifting his hands to her face and pushing the hair out of her eyes. "We'll get to that. But first we have to talk about a few other things." The idea of stepping back from her flitted through his mind, but instead he leaned onto her and watched as her eyes slowly closed. "I won't stop you from finding Victoria. I won't stop you from killing her. It's not my place. You're right about that, but I will tell you that you're being stupid."

Bella's eyes flew open and she growled slightly before trying to push him off. "Stupid? You fucking know where you can-"

He easily grabbed both of her wrists in one of his and pinned them above her head. "You aren't stupid. You just aren't thinking this through. I want you to have a plan. Give me that at least. I know you can take care of yourself, but I want you safe first." He felt her shield that had flown back up moments before start to slip back down. He felt her understanding.

"I-" She started slowly.

He shook his head. "Let me work with you at least to give you something to go on. To support you." He smirked slightly remembering Rose's declaration a few nights before. "You have something against the Cullens. I'm a Whitlock."


	17. Chapter 17

**Chibi-Kari: **Wow, it's been quite a bit. Sorry for keeping you hanging. Work has been more than crap to me lately. A major part of our budget got cut and our three person department has gone down to two. On brighter news, I got into UCL's MSci programme for HCI. I probably can't go because it's super expensive...but I have just over a year to try and get funding, so grant writing here I come!

I feel a bit as if I've lost my characters and my vibe. I've tried to get it back, but I'll probably, eventually, have to come back through this chapter with a fine comb. I wanted a little more interaction between the characters before the action starts up. I don't plan on it being that much longer, but with the rate I've been working on this (almost 2 years) who knows! I do have a pretty clear idea of where things are going, though!

I don't own. Seriously...I wish I did...think of all the money I'd have!

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**Chapter 17**

Bella laughed slightly as she pushed him away and pushed herself off the wall. "Is this going to become a regular occurrence? Is everyone going to claim a different last name when they want to help me? Who's next?"

Emmett's voice boomed through the door moments before he threw it open. "I'm a McCarty. Or actually the last one of my bloodline. So I win!"

Bella blinked slowly before breaking out into full blown laughter. Jasper joined in as he leaned on the wall next to Bella. His family was certainly crazy. And poor Carlisle if he ever found out they were all renouncing their Cullen-ism. He would be devastated. It wasn't his fault that he respected all of his children in their choices. He wasn't their real father at all…more of a moral compass when they really needed it. He was big into make your own mistakes, but always fix them. He wouldn't step in until it was absolutely necessary…that was probably why it took so long for Jasper to leave Alice. Carlisle wanted him to see it for himself. That is the only way you learn. Human or vampire.

Rosalie darted in the room flipping her hair as she settled into a seat. "I was first. You're all plagiarists. So sorry, dear husband, but you lose."

Peter sauntered in shooting a low thumbs up in Jasper's direction. "I'm na' related ta the Cullens at all…so really I think Char an' I win."

Bella covered her face with her hands shaking her head with a laugh. "How did this turn into a contest?"

"Cause tha'd botha ya, peaches." Peter responded with a smirk.

"I'm still mad at all of you!" Bella protested with a stomp. It was childish and she had to surpress the grin that threatened to break across her face. She hadn't felt this free or this happy in a long time. Maybe even ever. It was momentary, and she knew that, but she'd take it while she could. Too many dark days had passed and too many were still coming.

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Are not. You failed at being mad at us ten seconds after we showed up."

Peter eyed them slightly. He wasn't sure if Rosalie's statement was that true. He didn't think Bella had ever really been mad at them. Maybe at first. Back when they first left her. But by the time he and Charlotte had found her she was more concerned with protecting everyone. She had gone through too much to be angry. He wasn't sure if she was actually angry at Victoria or if she was just so sick of everything and needed it to end. There comes a point in your life where you've just been through too much. And Bella was there. She shouldn't have had to deal with anything she did. That apathy is consuming. He knew the feeling all too well and he knew that Jasper knew it even better. You just give up. When he found Bella that dark night, that was what she was doing. Giving up. And now. She was happy, but he could still see it brewing like a storm just under her surface, always at the front of her mind. He was almost certain she just needed it to be over at any cost. Desperation was a dangerous thing and he was more than thankful that Jasper had brought up the idea of a plan.

Bella was desperate and was reckless. He may have not known her that long, but he did know her well. She didn't think things through all the way. Hand in car window…case in point. It wasn't that she was stupid. No, she was smart. Very smart. And it wasn't that she didn't come up with plans. She did. They weren't exactly the best plans, but they were still plans. No, the problem was her lack of patience. She wanted things over with the least amount of casualties. Granted, she didn't care if she was one of those casualties. And that right there had to be rectified. That and the damn girl needed to learn some fucking patience. But what could be expected? She was from the gimme gimme generation. Instant access to everything and anything ruined people. Back in the day, he used to have to wait weeks for a letter. He didn't have this instant access email crap. That was exactly why he didn't use email often. If he did, even_ he_ found himself clicking refresh every five seconds waiting for the response. Yeah. This entire generation was ruined and that was why the world was going to hell in a handbasket.

Peter glanced up when he realized the room had gone quiet. "Wha'd I miss?"

Bella raised an eyebrow. "Hmmm…not telling you."

Charlotte peeled out a laugh as Emmett handed Bella a fifty.

"Told you." She said simply as she leaned back against the wall.

Jasper shook his head in slight shock. "I didn't know it was possible for a vampire to not pay attention. A part of our brain is always at the forefront making sure we aren't in danger or missing something. Our brains are made to process everything." He was genuinely confused.

Bella looked around the room smug. "I can even tell you what he was thinking about."

Rosalie scoffed. "No you can't."

Bella nodded. "Sure I can. It's always the same when he gets that look on his face. He even mumbles about it sometimes. He was thinking that the modern generation is stupid and the reason the world will come to an end, but they continue to inspire him."

"Hey! I di'na think the las' part!" Peter tried to protest.

"You would have if we hadn't interrupted you." Bella waved her hand dismissively and Peter couldn't believe the change in her. Just having these three people that had hurt her so much in her life again, brought out this youthful joy that had definitely been missing before. And she brought it out in them, too. They all were so happy together. It was an emotional climate that he was sure Jasper enjoyed. One he would thrive in. They were good for each other. He would ground her. Make her slow down and think. And she would bring joy to him again.

Something that Alice had never done. He shouldn't be too bad on Alice, though. She had given Jasper back his self-respect. And that was something that prepped him for Bella. Yeah, that was how Peter would chose to think about the Cullen siblings he liked the least. Alice and Jackassward set their paths in motion. Made them read to love each other. God, Charlotte would die if she heard his thoughts. She was the everything happens for a reason type. It annoyed the crap out of him, but what could he say. She was his wife and put up with all of his crap. So, he let her believe that crap. He knew it was the goodness of people that really helped shape the world.

"An' now he's thinkin' 'bout the power of friendship." Charlotte snipped.

"God damn ya!" Peter cursed softly. "Get the fuck off my back an' outta my mind!"

Emmett's booming laughter brought forth another round of chortles all at Peter's expense.

Jasper was the first to quiet, "As much as I'm enjoying the pick on Peter show, I think we have other things to discuss." A thick tension seemed to settle on the room. "We need to sort out a plan-"

Bella crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Rose and I have a plan."

Jasper scoffed. "Find Victoria and her minions and rip their heads off is not a plan. That's the goal."

"Not everyone is a strategist." Rosalie mumbled, blowing her bangs from her forehead.

"No, but everyone should own a dictionary." Jasper snapped back. "How do you plan on finding her?"

"Tracking her, obviously." Bella answered sarcastically.

"And how are you going to track her?" Jasper questioned. Bella blinked slightly in response. "Exactly. That's why you need a plan. Of course, I don't want you to get killed, but at the rate you girls are going you won't get a chance to. You'll run out of money and gas before you even find her."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chibi-Kari:** This story is becoming increasingly hard to write and I'm going through a slightly difficult time in my real life too. And my friends keep demanding more and more of my attention and travel time. I don't think there will be very many other chapters, but it has gotten really long. It's already more than 24K words. So I'm impressed. Sorry if no one is even looking at this anymore. I'm going to try to finish it within two months. Sorry. And I don't own.

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**Chapter 18**

Peter started to feel nervous again. Bella was almost refusing to take this seriously. He could feel it. This wouldn't turn out well if Jasper didn't talk some sense into them.

Jasper caught his eye and Peter immediately knew that he had felt his worry. "Hey Pete. Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Peter knew what this was about. "Sure. Run?"

Jasper nodded, quickly coming to stand next to him before turning back to the girl. "You should pack a few things, not that you really need them, but fights can be a bit - well violent. And you are more durable than some of your – say accessories." Wow, this was not coming out how he wanted to at all, but he didn't want to have to think of his sister naked and he didn't want anyone else to think of Bella that way.

Emmett laughed. "Basically bring extra clothes. They might get torn right off you and he doesn't want you to have to run around naked."

Jasper rolled his eyes. The phrase out of the mouths of babes came to mind, but Emmett was neither a child nor did he have the mind of one. Still, his moments of insight tended to be jarring. It was easy to forget he had a brain.

Jasper didn't wait to hear any of the responses. It was sensible advice and the girls would follow it. They didn't want to run around without any clothes more than he wanted them to. Just out of hearing distance he slowed and turned to Peter. "What has you so worried?"

Peter closed his eyes and rocked back on his heels slightly. "Ya know an animal trapped 'n a corner. Bella's that."

"Desperate? Yeah I know that. She's also completely unprepared. She doesn't know how vampires fight. Hell, she hasn't even seen it! And I would say at least Rose will be going with her, but Rose's only killed humans. She's never been around this either, but we sure as hell can't demand to go with her. If I do that I know she'll never be mine."

"Hmmm." Peter knew that was true. Jasper and Bella were both stubborn, but he knew when push came to shove Jasper would let Bella do whatever she felt she needed to do. But this. This wasn't safe. They both knew that. Hell, Charlotte even knew that, but she was siding with the girls. "And th' newborns."

Jasper straightened up immediately. "Newborns?"

It was one of the moments where he couldn't explain it, but he didn't doubt it. "I've heard rumors. An' I know they're hers."

Jasper nodded tightly. He didn't doubt Peter. Not for a moment. "I guess she has her newborn strength, too. But she'll be fighting against God knows how many other newborns! And who knows how Victoria's been treating them. This is fucking impossible!"

"Not tha' many, Jas. Five maybe ten." For once in his life he wasn't going to doubt. His intuition led him to Bella that night. And now he'd hope it would save her.

Jasper's face scrunched momentarily in confusion. "Why so few?"

"Lil' protection more like fam'ly. But still too much for Bella an' Rose." Peter shook his head. They were in between a rock and a hard place. And he didn't like it. Life was supposed to be easy after escaping Maria, but no. How many evil bitches could there possibly be in the world? And did he really have to deal with each and every one of them?

Jasper nodded. "Yeah. Especially since they don't even know what they're doing. Practically bringing a knife to a gunfight."

The statement couldn't be truer. Peter racked his brain for an option. He was normally good at this. He could always make something out of nothing, but this time it was more complicated. If Jasper hadn't been worried about how Bella would react he would just demand that they go. But he wanted Jasper and Bella to work out. He liked the idea of them together. Anyone but Alice would be good, but Jasper and Bella…that was something he could really support. Something he knew would work. Plus, he liked to keep things in the family. Strictly in the non-perverted non-incestuous meaning.

They were both silent when they heard quick heavy steps approaching. Peter started to bend down slightly in a defensive manner, but Jasper raised his hand to stop him. "Just Emmett."

Emmett came skidding to a stop in front of them wide eyed and panicked. "They left."

"What do you mean they left? I told them they needed a plan and to just pack a bag. Packing a bag wasn't the fucking plan!" Jasper was completely out of his element.

"Charlotte was talking with them and they started talking about where they thought Victoria was. And then I don't know. There was laughter. Someone said something about sneak attack from the border and boom they were gone. All three of them." Emmett seemed lost. "I don't speak woman so I was tuning them out, but I think they came up with a plan."

"Shit." Peter mumbled to himself. Charlotte was the worst with act first think later. This would end up worse with her there.

Emmett just stared at the two of them. "What are we waiting for? We have to follow them?"

"We can't! Bella would kill us if she found out." Jasper huffed in frustration. He wanted to go after them. That was the very first thing he wanted to do.

"Then we don't let them find out unless they need us. And I think they will." Emmett was exasperated. How didn't they understand this? Rose always told him no when she wanted to be headstrong and do something herself, but he went anyway. Half the time she didn't find out. The other half of the time if she needed him she wasn't mad when he showed up. Win-win situation.

Peter's eyes snapped open. It would work. There was no way they could get in trouble. "Em, you'ra genius. Let's go."


End file.
